The Trouble with Erik and Aya
by vinesonwroughtironbars
Summary: Zoey saved Loren from death and Erik is a full vampyre. Loren never worked for Neferet and both men are in love with Zoey! Loren has a dark past. Evil is coming to the House. What could happen? what could possibly go wrong? Read to find out!
1. Flee to Safety

**Hey everyone out there who's reading this. Thanks for checking out my story. This is my first HoN ff so I hope you like it. **

**Enjoy.**

**Oh yeah, and that little green box down there, I would really appreciate it if you'd a few moments more out of your day after reading this to click on it and leave a review. I really appreciate feedback and it always inspires me to write more. **

**Ok, enough of my blabber on with the story!**

Chapter 1

Flee to safety

The night was cool but something was different tonight. There was heat all around me. So much had changed since I almost lost _him_. It was all misunderstood. She had used him and warped his mind. He loves me. Now the world is falling apart and I am unsure of myself.

"Z, can we at least talk about this?" Erik yelled as I tried to run but his hold on me was greater than my own strength.

"What?" I scowled, "So you can mock me some more and call me slut?"

His hold around me tightened again and I wanted to cry.

" Let go Erik!" I yelled wanted to get back to Loren. "You're hurting me!"

That was all it took for him to loosen his grip but now he snatched my wrist and made me look at him.

"Why Z, why do you torture me like this when I love you?" the words hit me like bullets, I twisted every which way but it was no good.

"He loves me," I growled and I saw the passion in his eyes.

His lips met mine and I struggled but I couldn't turn away from his wet luscious lips. He used to be so sweet, and I use to love him. Now I had to run but I couldn't move. It hurt to move.

I finally broke from the kiss. This was the second time that he had kissed me today. I ran and I knew he was following. Tears were flowing down my cheeks and I wanted to hide away in the poets loft. I tripped up the stairs and Erik tried to help me up each time but I pushed him away.

"Z, please don't do this to me."

I burst through the door of Loren's room and locked it behind me. When Loren saw me he tried to crawl off the bed, but still it pained him too much. I dropped my books on the floor at the sound of Erik's pounding at the door. Then I dove into Loren's arm where I was safe. I was sobbing heavily and he wrapped me up in the blankets with him and stroked my hair.

"Shh, my love, it's all right. I'm here." His voice reminded me of my grandmother's lavender farms. It was soothing and suddenly the world fell into place again.

I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and he smiled at me. He took my chin between his thumb and forefinger and then pressed his forehead against mine.

"Now what has my priestess all upset?" he asked with a calming tone as he pulled my head down to his exposed chest.

I touched his muscles softly with the pads of my fingers, afraid that I might damage his muscular perfections.

He had almost died, I had sworn he was dead and that our imprint was gone, but no. My love saved him. Now he is healing from his near death experience and I never want to lose him.

"Erik," I murmured as I hid from his eyes.

With his forefinger he traced my lips and he felt them quiver.

"What has he done?" he growled as he kissed my jaw line.

"Kissed me," was all I could manage. I was aching and he knew it, too.

He wrapped his arms around me so that I was safe and surrounded by him.

"He humiliated me, Loren, in front of my entire drama class."

He stroked my hair gently until there was a knocking at the door.

"Z, please," Erik begged but I only grunted loudly.

Loren slid out of the bed carefully. He limped a bit but he managed to look strong. He opened the door and stared down at Erik.

"Leave," he breathed and Erik shook his head. "She wants nothing to do with you, let the priestess be."


	2. Jealousy

**Hey everyone. Sorry this took so long. I've been having problems with my account and I'm busy with other stories and the novels I'm writing. I'll try to update this one more often. I love all of you who are reading this. **

Chapter Two

_Jealousy_

She wasn't sure that Erik comprehended what Loren had said because he looked past her boyfriend and stared straight at her. She was quite uncomfortable having his stare so heavily focused on her. It made her uneasy and caused her to pull the sheets that laid on Loren's bed, tightly around her.

"Zoey." Erik pleaded.

She heard Loren grunt, causing her to leap off the bed and run to his side. She pulled her boyfriend's arm around her shoulders. He was still in pain; she could feel the soreness of his body through their imprint.

"Loren, love, you need to rest." Zoey coaxed him.

She helped the limping vampyre back to the large bed in his room and made sure that his wounds hadn't broken open. She placed a kiss on his chest, and then another on his cheek, and finally one on his lips. His hand came up to brush the young priestesses cheek.

"You take such good care of me, love." He murmured.

Zoey smiled at him, showing her love for him in her eyes. Then, she reluctantly turned from him and walked towards Erik. The look on his face could only be described in one word: jealously.

Erik wanted nothing more than to be tended to by Zoey in the way that he had witnessed her tend to Loren. She was so careful and sweet with him. Anger boiled in side them when he watched them share the kiss that showed how much they cared for each other. She use to be his, and now she belonged to someone else.

Erik was still angry with her for cheating on him. After all he had walked in on Zoey loosing her virginity. He had every right to be upset with her, but somehow he was willing to forgive her if she would just leave Loren and come back to him. He hoped that he could convince her that he was a better match for her than Blake, but by the look of things that would be hard. He would try though and he would not give up easily. Zoey was his in the first place, and she hadn't dumped him when she started seeing Blake. That had to count for something. Maybe he was pathetic for even thinking that, but he didn't care. He wanted Zoey and he wanted Zoey to want only him.

He stepped back as Zoey walked towards him. He knew that Zoey wanted to take this outside where they could not be heard. Zoey was nervous because she had been avoiding Erik ever since she slept with Loren. She was scared of what he would say. She didn't want to be yelled at, even though she knew deep down that she deserved it. After all, she had betrayed him and lost her virginity to a man that she wasn't publically dating.

They walked out to Zoey's wall, both of them looking down at the ground with flushed cheeks. This wall was the witness to so much drama in Zoey's life, and now another chapter was going to be added to the chronicles. Zoey took a deep breath while balling her hands into fists.

"I'm sorry." She said it like it hurt, but she also sounded afraid.

Erik didn't want Zoey to be afraid of him. He wanted her to love him again.

"You hurt me." Erik's voice broke as he spoke.

Zoey thought about what to say. She was never good at apologies. She was so use to being hurt and now she was the one doing the hurting.

"What do you want me to do?" Zoey asked as she rubbed her hand up and down one of her arms.

"I want you to explain to me what you're doing with Loren and why you're choosing him over me." Erik kept a serious face while he spoke. He knew that it was the only way to keep him from falling apart.

Zoey took a deep breath. She didn't want to be here and talking about this with him. She just wanted to crawl back into Loren's arms and cuddle with him until she fell asleep. Today had been exhausting.

"I love him." Zoey murmured as she tried to look up into Erik's eyes.

She was intimated by the seriousness of his expression. She could have fell to her knees and cried because of the power of his stare.

"You loved me." Erik said quite coldly, causing Zoey to cross her arms over her chest.

She had to hold herself together. She had to be strong.

She nodded her head in agreement. There was no denying that she had at one point loved Erik. She used to be madly in love with him. He had meant everything to her, but now, that wasn't quite the case.

"It's deeper than what we had." The words stung when Erik heard them.

It hurt Zoey even more to say them. He had asked for the truth and so the truth she would give him.

"You're so controlling, Erik. You tell me what to do." Her voice was somewhat strong, but the pain that was hinged with it was still evident.

It scared Erik more than anything to lose her. That's what he was doing right now: losing her. He had to do something. He had to say something to make her run from Loren and run into his arms again.

"It's you're fault that he almost died. You knew that Neferet was after him." Those weren't the words that he wanted to come out at all.

Zoey screamed at him. It nearly killed him to see her tear stricken face.

"How dare you!" She yelled at him.

Her heart was ready to shatter into a million pieces. She wanted to get away. She _needed_ to get away.

"It's true!" Erik yelled.

Again, not what he wanted to say, but that's what came out. He didn't want to make her cry.

Zoey turned to leave but Erik grabbed her wrist. She tried to pull away but she couldn't for Erik was much stronger than she was. After all, he was a full vampyre.

"Just because you're the High Priestess doesn't mean you can throw a pity party and cry every time you have to face you're problems. You made this mess now fix it! And don't pull a 'I'm the High Priestess, so I don't have to listen to you.' Besides, you're only High Priestess because Neferet is in jail for murder and attempt at murder." Erik was just having a bad night. This was a huge mess and it was hard to clean up.

"I hate you Erik!" Zoey screamed.

He let her go and she ran. He watched her run away from him sobbing. He'd made her cry, but why had he acted as such.

There was only one answer and he hated it. He was jealous. Erik Night was jealous of Loren Black.

"Just great." Erik murmured and then kicked a rock that was in his way.

When Zoey got back to Loren's room she flung herself onto the bed. She resumed to her previous position, which was curled up next to her boyfriend. He didn't ask her how it went. He didn't have to. He rubbed her back and wiped away her tears. It killed him to see her so upset. He loved Zoey more than anything on this Earth.

He had waited centuries for her to come along. She was the perfect balance of light and dark, innocence and tarnish, and strength and weakness. Most of all, she was filled with love, and that love was for him. He would do anything to make her smile. He would give her anything to make her happy.

He had promised her that as soon as he was healed he would make love to her again. Only this time he would do it as it should have been the first time. It had been raw animal sex the very first time and Zoey deserved better. He should have taken better care of her. He should of made sure that she wasn't hurting. But, no, he did her hard and left her in pain.

Neferet had threatened to kill Zoey if he didn't sleep with her. Zoey had walked in on them, even though he would tell her in the future about it, but that's where it all went wrong. After he reluctantly slept with Neferet he called her a bitch on the way out and that's where it all went wrong. She wanted him dead because he didn't really want her. So her answer was to kill him.

Luckily he and Zoey had imprinted and so she knew that he was in trouble. She saved his life and for that he owed her. Once she made the change they would live a happy life together as a couple. But for now he had to settle for helping get through everything that she was suffering. He was happy to be the one that she chose to go to when she needed help. He would always be there for her as long as he wanted her. He had never felt love before. There had only been lust in his life, but once Zoey Redbird entered his world everything changed.

He calmed her until she stopped crying. After the tears had stopped and she was left to hick-uping she whipped her nose and Loren smiled at her.

They didn't waste time for he knew that they had to go to dinner soon. So they spent the rest of their time kissing. This is how it should be and they both knew oh too well.


	3. Ease His Pain

**Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story. I'm really sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I'm working on a novel and two other FanFictions, so I'm a bit busy. Then there's school, piano, and my art, so I'm a bit busy. I'll try to update this one more. I feel like I've neglected such a great opportunity by not updating more often. So please enjoy. Oh and it would be helpful if y'all left a review. It might encourage and inspire me to update for often. **

Chapter Three

_Ease His Pain_

"What happened with Erik?" Erin asked Zoey at dinner.

Zoey looked down at her plate and then heard Shaunee asked the same question. Luckily she had Aphrodite on her side.

"She doesn't have to talk about if she doesn't want to."

She and Aphrodite were close now. After everything went down with Loren almost dying and Erik revealing the truth about Loren to her friends, Aphrodite had stood by her. She had her friends back, but things would never be the same without Stevie Rae here. She could only be happy that Stevie Rae was alive and that she could only see her at night.

"Thanks." Zoey murmured and then lifted her eyes to mean Damien's who also seemed to want to know about what happened with Erik.

She knew that it was probably best to just tell them than to leave them to sort through rumors.

"Erik. We fought. He kissed me we fought ok. It's the same argument that's been going on since then night Loren almost died… and it's not making it any better that he's my teacher." Zoey seemed to be holding back tears. She needed a distraction.

Then she thought about what Loren must be going through, having to sit with the entire faculty at dinner and one of those members was Erik. That must be absolutely agonizing for him. She would have to find a way to spend the night with Loren tonight. She couldn't bear to sleep in her room alone again when Loren was in pain. It wasn't hard for her to find a way to spend the night with him because the entire faculty knew that she was tending to his injuries. Now that Neferet was gone she was the High Priestess and the job of Headmistress was being covered academic wise by a group of teachers. Zoey had worked this out because she knew nothing about running a school. She was willing to tackle the task of being the High Priestess but running a school was an entirely different challenge that she wasn't prepared for.

"Aw, Z." Jack sympathized with her and because he was sitting next to her he wrapped her up in a hug.

She pulled herself together and then smiled at Jack.

"Thanks." She murmured as he pulled back.

They all continued to eat and then Aphrodite decided to lighten to ask Zoey the question that she had been wondering about. She figured it would be positive but she wanted to know.

"How is Loren doing? Is he getting better?"

Zoey smiled, instantly feeling better.

"He' getting stronger every day. Today he was actually able to walk, well limp. The wounds are all over his body, but he's a fighter."

Everyone at the table seemed to be uplifted by the news. They all cared for Zoey and the first few days of dealing with Loren's wounds because of their severity and all the drama with Neferet and Erik was just so overwhelming, that she constantly broke down. They were just so happy that she was being honest with them again, and at least now Neferet was out of the picture.

"That's great news." Aphrodite beamed her best friend a smile, which Zoey returned while nodding her head.

Now the both of them had boyfriends. Zoey had Loren and Aphrodite had Darius. The twins also had their boys and Damien and Jack had each other.

"So Darius said he'd sneak into my room tonight." Aphrodite giggled causing the twins to roll their eyes.

"Have fun." Zoey giggled and her new best friend winked at her.

When the time came Zoey headed up to the teachers dining room where she knew that Loren would be waiting for her. She found him leaning up against the wall outside the room looking like he couldn't wait to get away.

"I'm sorry that I took so long." Zoey apologized as she walked up to her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around him.

He pulled her into his embrace and sighed into her hair.

"It's all right, love. You were enjoying time with your friends, which you need to do. I keep you cooped up in my room for far too long."

Zoey was instantly saddened by his words and the tone of his voice. He noticed it immediately and convinced her that he didn't mean it like it sounded.

"Zoey, love, I love spending time with you, I just meant that you don't need to be cooped up in my room just because I have to be."

On that note she helped him back to his room and then told him that she would be right back. She needed to throw a bag together with a change of clothes in it for school the next day. Then she needed to take a shower and find the perfect outfit to sleep in to "ease Loren's pain."

After a quick shower she wrapped a towel around herself and ran back into her room to find the right outfit. She rummaged through her drawers and finally found a set of lingerie with a nightgown and wrap. She would have to wear a cover over it to hide her outfit when running from her room to the poet's loft. After she was satisfied with the jacket she chose to cover her outfit she picked out her clothes for tomorrow and threw them into a bag to take with her.

She took the shortcut through the courtyard to get to the poet's loft. She was sure that she wouldn't cross anyone's path, but of course she was wrong.

"Zoey." The voice addressed her as if it weren't sure that it was addressing the right person.

"Hello." She murmured while praying to Nyx that it was anyone but who it truly was.

Of course it was Erik. No, she wasn't going to let him ruin her mood. She was going to help herself and her boyfriend feel better.

"I don't have time for you. And don't you go thinking that that old saying 'Third times a charm' is true, because when if comes for you trying to kiss me again today it never will be."

Erik didn't expect such a harsh greeting, but then again they weren't exactly on great terms. He didn't want her running off to Loren. He wanted her to come back to bed with her and for them to talk things over. Again he did another stupid thing. He reached for her jacket and pulled the front open. He gasped at the garments and at the same time was in awe of her beauty.

"Zoey." He groaned.

She pulled away, running at top speed. No he wouldn't ruin her mood. He couldn't. He wasn't allowed.

When she got to Loren's room she was happy to see him laying on his bed with a book. He was reading to past the time away. Quietly, she dropped her bag on the floor and pealed off the jacket. Loren put down his book and smiled.

"You didn't have to do that for me." He cooed as she neared.

"I know, love." She murmured as he lifted the covers and she climbed in on top of him.

She was on all fours and he was letting his hands roam around her body. She then lowered her head and put her lips to his ear.

"I just thought that by giving you a preview of what you'll be getting once your all better would motivate you to heal faster."

Loren responded just as she desired. He groaned in anticipation and then kissed her hard.


	4. Heaven

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the great reviews! Thank you Nyx's chosen one's for your special review. I woke up this morning after updating all three of my stories yesterday, with twenty-two emails from FF. When I saw your message it made a great start to my day, which inspired me to write the next chapter instead of working on my other two. **

Chapter Four

_Heaven _

Loren held her tightly to him as he kissed her oh so passionately. His body was tingling with anticipation, but unfortunately he wouldn't be getting any action because of his wounds. The doctor had strictly instructed him not to partake in intercourse until he was completely healed. He would have to settle for enjoying Zoey's offering, which wasn't settling at all, it was Heaven. Loren didn't even believe in Heaven, but Zoey made him believe because he could swear by Nyx that Zoey must be an angel.

He groaned when Zoey's lips left his, but he was quickly rewarded when he felt her sucking at his neck.

"Oh Zoey." He groaned in pleasure.

He heard her chuckle, for she knew very well just what she did to him. He carefully began to rock his hips against hers, despite the pain that it brought. Zoey quickly sensed his discomfort and reached down to still his hips.

"Let me do it." She whispered seductively.

He didn't expect was about to happen. There was no way he could have expected what was about to happen. She started by unbuttoning his shirt and then helped him out of it.

She crawled down so that she was kneeling between his legs. Her hands reached for the buckle of his belt and quickly undid it. She popped open the button of his pants and undid the zipper. Within seconds, due to his lack of underwear, he sprung free from his pants.

The next few minutes were closer to Heaven than he had claimed the previous ones to be. He had never expected Zoey to give him a blowjob, at least so soon. When she was finished and he was spent she zipped him up. Zoey crawled back up beside him and collapsed.

"Thank you." Loren whispered as he wrapped his amazing girlfriend in his arms.

She let out a relaxed sigh and then snuggled up to him. Loren was sure that she was going to fall asleep, but she fought her heavy lids and smiled at him.

"I love you." Loren whispered as he lowered his head to a kiss her brow.

"I love you, too." She murmured and then fell into slumber in his embrace.

Loren laid on his back with Zoey curled up next to him. She was sound asleep with the most adorable smile on her face. He was delighted that she had fallen asleep happy, for the past few nights had been full of nightmares and sorrow for her. She was under pressure being the High Priestess of the House of Night. Her experience was so little, and yet so much was expected of her. To top it off, he wasn't much help to her during the day, even with the imprint. He couldn't run around and do things for her or mess around with her to take her mind off things. He had to lay here in his room and read and write until he was fully healed. He knew that his precious Zoey worried about him constantly while she was in her classes.

Zoey was absolutely beautiful. No matter what she wore or how she did her hair, she always managed to steal his breath away. She was everything that Loren wanted in a woman. She was intelligent, confident, loving, beautiful, strong, giving, grateful, and honest. He had spent centuries searching for love, and had wasted years with all the wrong girls. Neferet had been chasing him for the past three hundred years, but he never had interest in her. She was just someone that Loren had to deal with.

Destiny had brought Loren to the Tulsa House of Night. He never expected to find love in the same place that Neferet dwelled. Loren fell for Zoey the very first time he laid eyes on her. She made his heart race in a way that it had never raced before. Never had someone made him fear rejection. He was so afraid that Zoey would not reciprocate his feelings. Luckily, she loved him just as much as he loved her.

It didn't take Neferet long to catch onto his feelings for Miss RedBird. She saw the way Loren stared after her, and it made her so angry. She wanted more than anything to have Loren look at her that way. Loren's heart broke each time he saw Erik and Zoey together. Zoey deserved better than Erik and better than himself, but Loren didn't care, he wanted Zoey. He wanted to love Zoey for all of eternity. He would worship her and treat her like the wonderful woman that she was. Watching Erik and Zoey was like listening to Michael Buble's song "You Don't Know Me."

Then Loren got the courage up to pursue Zoey. He didn't care that they had to keep it a secret. He was just so happy that she wanted him. He regretted the way he took her virginity because he had been rough and selfish. He would make up for it, even if it took him the rest of his life. If she would have him, then he would give her whatever she wanted, forever.

To his pleasure, Zoey wanted him. Her love was unconceivable. How could someone so good and wonderful like Zoey love someone like Loren? His faith in Nyx had been fully restored the day he discovered that Zoey wanted him. He thanked the great Nyx for sending Zoey into his life. He didn't know what he did to deserve her, because he had done quite a few bad things in his life. He was a troubled young man in his early years. There are things that he'd done in his past that he wasn't proud of. He'd hurt people and he'd let people down. Before he came to Tulsa he had began making an effort to be a better person. He'd prayed to Nyx to help him through this change in his life. Then along came Zoey: the one girl who could put Loren together again and set him straight. Zoey made Loren want to be a better person. She made him want to be good, so that he could be good with her, and so that he could be good for her.

Zoey didn't know very much about his past. They'd talked about a few things, but he wasn't ready to tell her everything. He would tell her soon, because she needed to know.

He looked down at Zoey and watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, like an angel. She had to sneak into his room because she needed to be in her room by curfew. She had spent the past few nights alone in her room. She hated it, and she had hated it ever since her best friend, Stevie Rae, died. Zoey saw her during the night when the red fledglings could roam, but still she had to return to a lonely room when the night came to an end. He wished that she could spend each night in his room so that he could keep her company. He would try with all his might to make her life better. He would happily help her carry the load of her burdens. He was in this relationship for the long hall and so he would do whatever it took to please and help her.

When Loren grew weary he pressed another tender kiss to Zoey's brow and then shut his own eyes.

"Sweet dreams, Zoey."


	5. He's Got Moves

**Thank you for the reviews everyone. I'd like to say that I apologize for any of you who are offended by Zoey and Loren's relationship. I received a review by someone issuing me her concern about Zoey and Loren being considered creepy. I understand that some people are uneasy about Loren because he is a teacher, well technically he isn't because he is the poet laureate and a visiting teacher, but I'd like to make a point clear to everyone. I don't remember how old Loren is in the books, I'm not even sure we are told how old he is, anyway, In my story he is centuries old. It's a vampire book people… get with the program… with a few exceptions in vampire novels, isn't the lead male always substantially older than the woman… I mean in Twilight Bella is eighty something years younger than Edward. In the Sookie Stackhouse series Bill is substantially older than Sookie. Not even just in vampire books… in Mortal Instruments Magnus is freaking over 780 years older than Alec! I think y'all must be getting my point. I'm sorry for my ranting but I really wanted to express that yes Loren is older, but then you don't see people criticizing Bella and Edward because he's almost one hundred. Normally I don't get upset over negative comments, because trust me I've gotten them before on my writing and not just on FanFiction, but that comment really offset, me. **

**Anyway, Ok, I'm all good again, thank you to anyone who lasted through my ranting. Now on with the story! Yay! **

Chapter Five

_He's Got Moves_

When the sun began to set Zoey woke from her pleasant slumber. She was pleased to find Loren's arm holding her close to him, but she wondered where the other one was for she distinctly remembered be wrapped up in both. She groggily lifted her head after blinking a few times, to find Loren wide-awake reading a novel. He must have been very into the story because he hadn't noticed her stirring until he felt her staring at him.

He shut the book and then set it down beside him. His attention shifted to his loving girlfriend and then lowered his face to kiss her.

"Good morning, love." He whispered against her lips as he felt her begin to wake up due to the kiss.

She sat up slowly as the kiss continued. This was one of her favorite thing about spending the night with Loren; she would wake to his kisses. The kiss that had started out chaste quickly turned to full on open mouth kisses with tongue. Loren was definitely feeling better.

"Good morning." Zoey said breathlessly when the kiss broke.

"Can we wake up like that every morning?" Loren teased, causing blush to flood Zoey's cheeks.

She wrapped her arms around his chest and nuzzled him with her head.

"I wish." She murmured and then looked down at his shirtless chest.

The scars looked better. They actually looked like healing scars and not wounds trying to heal.

"Loren, are you better? How much pain are you in on a scale from one to ten?" She asked with much excitement.

The sooner he was healed the better.

"I feel great compared to the last few days. I'm not in any pain at all and I haven't even taken my pain medication yet." Loren was just as anxious to see how much better he was, as Zoey.

"All right then, let's try moving." Zoey decided and then climbed out of bed so that he could try to get out on his own.

Loren was cautious at first but then told himself that he was just getting out of bed, not running a marathon. He anchored his hands into the bed and pushed up: no pain at all. Then he maneuvered himself towards the edge of the bed: still no pain. This would be the real test, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. It would require the movement of muscles in his torso where some of the deeper wounds were. He'd been lucky that Zoey had come to his rescue in time to stop Neferet from making the wounds on his neck any deeper. Otherwise it would be quite painful to even kiss his girlfriend.

He focused on the task at hand and carefully began to move his legs. He shut his eyes as he threw them over the edge, preparing himself for the immense amount of pain, but surprisingly found a tolerable amount of discomfort. He saw Zoey smiling at him, which only encouraged him to continue to test himself further.

"I'm going to try to stand." He warned her.

He had tried this yesterday and it left him in a hell of a lot of pain, but he had done it to get rid of Erik because Zoey was upset. He had come so far, and so he had to try. With a deep breath he anchored himself to the bed for support and then began to push up. He pushed up until he was standing and he found no pain at all. Zoey almost ran to him, but she was afraid that she would knock him over.

"Can you walk?" She asked as she gave him a hopeful glance.

"I don't know, but I'll try."

Zoey nodded and then prepared herself to catch him if he stumbled or to help him back to bed if he were in pain. Loren took a deep breath and then lifted his leg to walk. He began walking and Zoey almost squealed with excitement for he did not feel any pain once so ever. He began now to walk towards her and he saw her smile with delight. Within seconds he was standing before her and wrapping his priestess in his arms.

Zoey rested her head against his chest and he lowered his head to rest on top of hers.

"I'm so happy that you're better." She murmured and then let out a sigh.

"As am I." He whispered softly and then pulled away from her.

He knew that Zoey needed to get ready to for school and that he couldn't hold her captive for much longer if she wanted to throw her night bag in her room and meet up with her friends for breakfast. Just because she loved him didn't mean that she had to throw away everything else in her life. He wanted to stay close with her friends, for she needed companions that were her age.

"Go get dressed love. I think I'll take a quick shower so that you can have some time to run your bag to your room."

Zoey reluctantly agreed and then let Loren go. He headed to the bathroom and left the door open. She turned to her bag and began to pull out its contents of her outfit for today and toiletries. She turned her head to see Loren stripping down in the bathroom, which caused her eyes to darken in desire. She knew better though. He finally was strong enough to do this on his own, and so she had to back off and get on with her agenda. Besides if she joined in him the shower she would never be ready for school in time. She already got enough evil glares for being with him, she didn't need a million more for being late to class because she was sharing a shower with her extremely hot boyfriend.

She watched Loren get in the shower and shut the shower door, which was already steamy. She picked up her bag of toiletries and headed into the bathroom to do her daily morning routine. As she began to brush her teeth she had to continue to stop herself from looking at Loren in the shower. He had done this too her on purpose. He probably wanted her to enjoy looking at him, but she couldn't when she knew she had school. She tried to occupy herself with focusing on brushing her teeth but that wasn't anywhere near as sexy as watching Loren in the shower.

She spit out the toothpaste and rinsed and then carried on with flossing. It wasn't until she got to brushing her hair that she realized that Loren had said something to her.

"Come and join me, you'll be more relaxed." He tempted her.

She had to resist. She continued to brush her hair and then padded out of the room.

"As much as I'd love to, love, you know I'll be late for school."

She heard him laugh in agreement, which lightened her mood and then she went back to her bag and began to strip off the covering and nightgown. She pulled out her favorite pair of jeans from her bag and slipped them on. They were low riders but very comfortable. Next she slid on her shoes and then finally her school shirt. She packed her nightclothes and toiletries back into her bag and then headed out the door.

It didn't take her long to get to her room and dispose of her bag. She surprisingly only received a few glances from onlookers, but paid little mind to them. She didn't have to pay them mind, after all she was the leader of the Dark Daughters and Sons and the High Priestess of the Tulsa House of Night.

She had to pass the teacher's dorm building on her way to Loren's room. She held her breath hoping not to see the man that made her feel guilty deep down inside. Of course, she would never have her wishes come true in terms of Erik. This time she was the intruder. He was just coming out of his room, nothing unusual there. She hoped maybe that if she was quiet and kept her head down, that maybe he wouldn't notice her. She passed him by quietly and luckily he seemed distracted. They still needed to talk, for yesterday had been nothing but a series of screaming matches.

Zoey let out a breath of relief when she passed back through the door of Loren's room. She saw Loren buttoning up his shirt, which was quite a sight. Loren was handsome. He was more than handsome, he was hotter than Orlando freaking Bloom and that man was drop dead gorgeous.

Loren caught her staring at him and offered her a smile. She couldn't move for she felt as if his beauty had frozen her. He ran his fingers through his still wet hair and then crossed the room to embrace his angel. He searched her eyes and saw the pure desire that was in his own.

"Kiss me." She murmured as she stood on her tiptoes to level her face with his.

"With pleasure." He murmured and then pressed his lips to her soft ones.

Loren would never tire of kissing Zoey. Each kiss was a new adventure. Each time their lips molded together a new wave of pleasure ran through him.

"Loren, you're so magnificent." She whispered against his lips, causing his heart to race.

"Not anywhere near as magnificent as you. Do you feel how fast my heart is beating for you?"

He took her dainty hand in his and placed it upon his chest. Zoey felt his racing heartbeat and heard each beat chanting her name.

"I love you, Zoey RedBird." Loren murmured in her ear as he pulled her closer to him.

"As I love you, Loren Blake."

He surprised Zoey when he dipped her and kissed her full on the mouth. It was slightly uncomfortable for him, causing only a bit of pain, but it was worth it for the pleasure the kiss brought overwhelming joy to ever cell in his body.

He snapped her back up, leaving her breathless. Then he spun her out as if they were dancing and pulled her back into his arms.

"Oh my, Loren, I had no idea." Zoey gasped as he buried his face into her hair.

She had no idea that he had moves. He was definitely feeling better.

"I wanted to give you something to remember me by while we're apart during the classes."

She wished at that moment that he was completely healed and that they could jump back into bed and make love. There was no doubt that he wanted the exact same thing. Zoey was still breathing heavily, so Loren simply kissed her on her cheek.

"Are you hungry, love?" Loren asked.

Zoey responded by nodding her head.

"Let's go get you something to eat."


	6. Confrontation

**All right, so I did my research. Loren Blake is exactly twenty-five… So I apologize for getting upset about the previous comment about Blake's age. This is what I'm going to say though, it's a novel and we all have our fantasies. In my story as I stated before, he is centuries old. I think I'm a bit more enlightened now as to why he could be used so easily used by Neferet. After all, the evil woman has been around since the pilgrims. She could manipulate him. Anyway. I personally love my version of Blake. So forget the fact that he's really 25 and imagine him as a several century old vampyre who was disturbed in his past and is searching for a way to be good again. Zoey is his light that will make his world go round. I love you all J Please leave a review on your way out!**

Chapter Six

_Confrontation_

To Erik's misfortune he had to walk past Blake's classroom to get to his own. There was no way to avoid it. As he passed the classroom he saw the scene that he wanted to ignore more than anything, but for some reason he couldn't look away. Loren and Zoey were kissing in front of Blake's classroom. She held his face in her hands and his hands were on her arms. It was a farewell kiss, and it was obvious that neither members of the party wanted to separate for the day. Erik knew exactly how that felt, for that was exactly how he used to feel when he was with Zoey.

"Come on, Zoey!" Damien yelled from across the hall. "We're going to be late for class!"

Zoey reluctantly pulled away from her loving boyfriend and sighed.

"He's right, Love. You're going to be late to class, and as a teacher I certainly cannot allow that." Loren teased causing a pout to form on Zoey's face.

"All right. Are you sure you can't write me a note for being late? Then I could stay a little longer." Zoey pleaded, causing Loren to move his hold on her to wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I'm not sure the pass would be valid for the reason you want it to be." With another sigh she pecked him on the lips and then pulled away.

"I'm coming right to your room after school." She reminded him, causing a smile to stretch across his face.

"Sounds like a plan. Run along now, and have a good day at school."

With that Zoey ran off and caught up with Damien who was annoyed with his giddy friend. Loren stared after his angel, who before she exited the hallway turned around and waved at her boyfriend. He couldn't help but laugh when Damien pulled her away. She protested at first, but she knew he was keeping her head on straight.

Loren didn't have class first period, and so he had time to go over his lesson plans and the ones the substitute had taught. He was happy to be back in his classroom. He loved teaching, and besides poetry and Zoey, it was his true passion. He got right to work on planning what the next lesson would be. He had done some planning in the past few days, but lately he had been caught up in writing poems, which were mostly about Zoey. Then he had been catching up on a novel he had been meaning to read. Zoey had surprised him with a few novels that she had known that he had wanted to read. She was so sweet.

He was so deep in thought about his lesson plan that he barely heard the knock at his door.

"Come in." Loren responded to the visitor and then looked up from his work.

He was a bit startled when he saw Erik come through the door. He quickly gained his composure and then stood to confront the man that stood before him.

"Professor Night, what a surprise it is to see you here. And to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" Loren was trying to be polite.

It didn't take a neurosurgeon to figure out that the two men didn't get along. They felt about each other the way a bull does when it sees the color red: charge it and kill it. Loren knew that he couldn't hurt Erik though, for if he did then Zoey would be upset, and most likely angry with him. Erik knew oh too well that any damage that he did to Blake would blow any chance he had at getting Zoey back. For now the two men could only throw words around.

"Cut the crap, Blake. We both know why I'm here." Erik growled as Blake leaned against his desk.

"Yes, you're here to tell me to back off of Zoey." Loren said while crossing his arms over his chest and rolling his eyes.

"Good, you're not as stupid as I thought you were. So you'll back off."

"Not a chance, Night. I'll only back off if she tells me that she doesn't want to be with me anymore."

Erik let out a growl and then stepped towards Loren.

"Don't think I'm not onto you, Blake. I know a good bit about who you use to be. I know how easy it used to be for you to lose control. I know what happened during the war."

Loren's body went rigid. His face became paler than usual and it felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. He grasped the edge of the desk behind him for dear life, and his heart began to race. He didn't want to think about the war. He didn't want to think about the monster he once was.

Erik was satisfied with Loren's reaction. Fear was clearly evident in his eyes.

"Doesn't feel so great to be the on the hot seat does it?" Erik taunted.

Loren took a deep breath and attempted to gain his composure. He pressed back the images that were pushing forward to flood his mind.

"I'm not afraid to tell her what I know, Blake." For the first time Loren felt threatened by Erik. He didn't want Zoey to know by someone else's mouth. If anyone was going to tell her about his past Loren wanted it to be him. He would do it himself, and no one else.

"Would you stoop that low, Night? How could you fill in the gaps that your mind knows no answer to? Would you lie when she asks you more about it? Would you fabricate answers to bend her favor towards you? Tell me, Night, what would you do?"

Erik pondered his reply, but could find none. He hadn't thought this conversation through. Nor had he expected Loren to turn the guilt on him. Erik didn't have anything to hide. In his mind Loren was the villain, and not himself.

Before Erik could open his mouth to reply, Loren shot another question at him.

"Is this another way for you to control her? Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you're not as perfect and innocent as you believe yourself to be? Do you see yourself at fault in any way, or do you see it all as her fault? If you want to know what I think, I think that she truly loved you, but you tried to control her, and you got possessive and so you pushed her away."

That earned a slap across the face from Erik. Night was red in the face, and his fists were clenched. Erik's ego had been thoroughly bruised, and he couldn't take someone else being right. He didn't want the awful truth. To be completely honest, Erik couldn't handle the truth and so he turned his back on it and let it flow in one ear and out the other.

The bell rung, letting the two men know that first period was over. They both had classes second period, and so Erik stormed towards the door.

"This isn't over Blake." Erik warned as he turned his head over his shoulder to stare at the man who had stolen his true love from him.

"I know, Professor Night. I know."

Erik collected himself and then walked out the door. He happened to catch site of Zoey padding down the hall towards his classroom. The auditorium was only down the hall, but being this close to Zoey would make it seem like a very long walk. He wanted more than anything to walk up to her woo her back to him.

When class started Zoey couldn't stand to look at Erik. She knew that something had happened earlier with Loren, she had felt his intense emotions. She had a gut feeling that it had to do with Erik. She had decided that she would let herself fade into the background during class. Today she didn't want to be Zoey RedBird, High Priestess, and Nyx's chosen daughter. She was lucky to have the friends that she had, because people, mostly girls, seemed to hate her more than ever.

Luckily Erik seemed to be thinking along the same lines, for he didn't call on her when he needed a student volunteer. He never made eye contact with her. He never looked at her. She didn't exist, and for the first time she was happy to be invisible. Though that happiness didn't last long, for when class was over Erik called on her to stay after class. She kept her head down when she approached him.

"You wanted to speak to me, Professor." Zoey murmured, still looking down at the ground.

Erik placed his fingertips right under her chin and then tilted her head up. He saw the worry in her eyes. He saw the pain and hurt, but the worst thing was he saw hatred. That anger was all towards him. He couldn't help but feel guilty, for he knew that he was part of the problem.

"We need to talk." Erik whispered as Zoey jerked away from his touch.

"Yes, but now isn't the time. I have class." Zoey protested as she turned to walk away.

"Then I'll excuse you." Erik was willing to work out a deal.

"The rest of the day and permission to leave campus?"

"You're the high priestess, I'd really just be writing a note to you. Why do you want that much time off and off campus permission?"

Zoey wondered if she should tell him, but in the long run she knew she probably would end up saying otherwise.

"I need to go talk to Grandma. I'm a bit lost right now, and I just need someone's guidance that is uninvolved."

Erik nodded his head. He respected that, for he knew very well that someone without any participation was the best person to talk to in these sorts of situations.

Erik took a seat on the edge of the stage and let his legs dangle. Zoey sat a foot away with her legs crossed Indian style, away from the edge.

"I'm sorry, Erik, for what I've done to you."

Erik had not expected Zoey to start out with an apology. If anything he had expected her to yell at him.

"It hurt, Zoey. It killed me to see you there on the floor naked with Blake. I never thought that you…"

Erik couldn't finish his sentence, for he instantly began to feel guilty.

"That I'd what?" Zoey asked, clearly needing him to finish his statement.

"I never thought that you would be the one to hurt me. To betray me. To cheat on me. That's something I would expect from Aphrodite, but not from you. Never from you."

Zoey's heart sank, and now she couldn't bear to look at him.

"Erik, I never thought that I could love anyone but you. I thought that we were destined to be together. We were just so perfect, but then I changed, and you changed too in more than one way: one being more obvious than the other. I can't stand being told what to do. You tried to control me. It was like you didn't want me to think for myself. You only wanted me to do as you wished."

Erik was about to protest but he stopped himself. Loren had told him that he was controlling.

"I was afraid of losing you." Erik confessed, causing Zoey to look up. "It's like you were moving on to bigger and better things without me."

The cogs of Zoey's mind began to turn and all of a sudden the words that Aphrodite had said came back to her.

"Aphrodite was right." Zoey murmured forgetting that Erik was sitting there staring at her.

"About what?" He asked scooting a bit closer to her.

"That I out grew you, Erik."

The words seemed to shock Erik more than anything. He didn't think about people out growing one another. The term out grown was more suited for a pair of jeans not for people. How could she have out grown him when his love for her grew deeper each day?

"Did you love me, Zoey?" Erik asked now reaching for her hand.

Surprisingly, she let him hold her small hand his. She didn't even protest when he began to rub circles on her palm.

"Yes, very much so. You were my first love, Erik. But first only lasts for so long. You gave me a taste of what I could have, but that taste was not meant for me to enjoy fully. It's meant for someone else. We were great together, Erik, we really were. I just realized that we weren't meant to be, and that your possessiveness was the last straw. I know that you meant well, but I just can't live like that. I have to have my own space, and my own will."

Erik thought carefully about what she had said. He had to be grateful that she was actually taking her time to talk this out like adults. She hadn't run off, she was still here and willing to make amends. If amends were all he could get for now, he would take them, and start from there.

"Why didn't you break up with me right away when you realized how deeply you felt for Blake?"

Zoey took a moment to think. She also noticed that Erik didn't address Loren by his first name, he always called him Blake. She didn't know what it meant, but she knew it meant something.

"We had to keep it a secret. A teacher-student relationship just doesn't seem to go over well with the staff and high priestess. The new board has seemed to make an exception for Loren and I because of our situation. The reason I didn't break up with you, was because I was still in love with you. I was selfish. I didn't care about anyone's feelings. I wanted you, Loren, and Heath all at once. It was wrong of me and I regret acting so selfishly. I'm so sorry, Erik. I'm so sorry."

Zoey was shaking and so Erik reached out for her. She jerked away and yelled at him.

"Don't touch me!"

He couldn't understand why she was so angry all of a sudden.

"I don't want anyone to touch me. I just need to get away." Zoey continued to talk to herself as the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Zoey." Erik chanted to calm her. "Has he done anything to hurt you?"

That made Zoey strop crying immediately.

"No! Loren has been nothing but sweet to me. He would never lay a hand on me with the intention of harming me. He's the only thing that has kept me from falling apart."

Silent moments passed by. He remained quiet to let her regain her composure.

"So where do we go from here?" Erik finally asked as Zoey began to stand up and brush herself off.

"We'll be friends, and we can earn each other's trust back. As much as you might hate it and it might hurt you, you're going to accept my relationship with Loren. I love him, despite his past, which I know barely anything about. I know that he'll tell me when the time is right. You can't force someone to confess what they're not ready to tell. I'll love him still."

Erik had not prepared himself to hear that. She knew the mood of Loren's past without knowing the depth of its midnight. Yet she was willing to accept it. She was willing to wait for him to tell her. She was more patient than Erik was, and much more forgiving. He envied that.

"I'm gonna go." Zoey announced as she headed down the stairs of the stage.

Erik didn't say anything. He simply watched her walk away with a painful thought in his head.

_"How could he, Erik Night, have deceived her so easily? Even more so, how could he have deceived himself?" _

**Thanks for reading, everyone. I would like to thank all of you for your comments. Click the little green button please and tell me what you think. ^-^**


	7. Confiding with Lavender

**Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! So at first this chapter was hard but then I got really into it. I get all giddy when I write about Zoey talking about Loren. Call me whatever you want, it wouldn't be the first time I've been called crazy or the sole rider of the short bus. I'm also known as that crazy vampire lover, or the girl who still believes in fairy tales. If there's one thing I believe in that I can say I believe in without someone shoving their own personal religious beliefs down my throat and telling me mine are wrong, is love. Please leave a review. Love y'all! Enjoy!**

Chapter Seven

_Confiding with Lavender_

The streets were busy when Zoey pushed her Beatle down the usually abandoned roads. She couldn't help but wonder how many of the drivers around her were vampyres and how many were humans. She was focused on reaching her destination before midnight. She was hoping that Grandma RedBird would still be up. She most likely would be up for whenever Zoey came to visit she always seemed to know that her granddaughter was coming her way.

Zoey was still shaking while she drove. Her cheeks were tear stained even though the tears had dried from her eyes long ago. Going to see Grandma would help her. She knew that Loren would have wanted her to go to him, but she couldn't, she just needed to be away from the House. When she had first gotten in the car she had texted Loren to tell him where she was going. She didn't want him to think that she had run off and was hiding from him. He had sent a sad emoticon saying that he wished he was with her to make her feel better, but wished her a good time with her grandmother. He told her that he would take care of Persephone, her mare, for her if she didn't get back in time for equestrian. Loren was so sweet. Zoey had absolutely no idea what she had done to deserve him. He told her constantly that he was the one that didn't deserve her, but she always silenced that statement with a kiss.

She turned her thoughts back to the road, but her thoughts were also on a song playing on the radio. The song reflected exactly how she felt. She was so confused about so many things and she was ready to break down. The song currently playing was "Details in the Fabric" by Jason Mraz.

_Calm down _

_ Deep breathes _

_ And get yourself dressed_

_ Instead of running around _

_ And pulling all your threads _

_ And breaking yourself up _

_ If it's a broken part, replace it_

_ If it's a broken arm then brace it _

_ If it's a broken heart then face it _

_ And hold your own _

_ Know your name _

_ And go your own way _

_Hold your own _

_ Know your name _

_ And go your own way _

_ And everything will be fine _

_ Hang on _

_ Help is on the way _

_ And stay strong _

_ I'm doing everything _

_ Hold your own _

_ Know your name _

_ And go your own way _

_ Hold your own _

_ Know your name _

_ And go your own way _

_ And everything _

_ Everything, it will be fine _

_ Everything _

_ All the details in the fabric_

_ Are the things that make you panic_

_ Are your thoughts results of static cling? _

_ Are the things that make you blow_

_ Hell, no reason, go on and scream _

_ If you're shocked it's just the fault _

_ Of faulty manufacturing _

_ Yeah everything will be fine _

_ Everything in no time at all_

_ Everything _

_ Hold your own _

_ And know your name _

_ And go your own way _

_ Are the details in the fabric_

_ Are the things that make you panic _

_ Is it Mother Nature's sewing machine? _

_ Are the things that make you blow_

_ Hello no reason, go one and scream _

_ If you're shocked it's just the fault _

_ Of faulty manufacturing _

_ Everything will be fine _

_ Everything in no time at all _

_ Hearts will hold _

The song finished just as Zoey pulled up to her grandma's house. She found herself resting her head against the steering wheel but gripping it tightly as well. She couldn't calm down, for everything that should be common sense was like static. How could she hold her own if she couldn't stand her ground? She couldn't find anything solid to stand on. The world was slipping through her fingers and she would fall out of consciousness soon if she didn't do something. She sobbed until she began to hick up and then looked at the clock. She needed to get out if she wanted to be inside before Grandma went to bed.

She pulled the keys out of the ignition and then got out of the car. She was greeted instantly by the smell of lavender. She knew that she was home. After shutting the door she began to walk down the bath to her grandmother's house. Her feet weren't carrying her near as fast as she wanted. It seemed like forever by the time she got to the house. She lifted her hand to knock on the door.

"Grandma. It's Me, Zoey."

She knew that her grandmother wouldn't answer the door at this late at night unless she said who she was. Within minutes the door flew open and there stood Grandma Redbird.

"I've been expecting you. Come in, my u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya, come in."

Grandma Redbird already had a fire going in the fireplace and hot chocolate for two ready. She had Zoey sit on the couch and then cuddled up next to her favorite granddaughter.

"So what's bothering you?" Grandma asked when Zoey lowered her mug and stared into it.

"I'm High Priestess, Grandma."

"Congratulations!" Grandma Redbird exclaimed.

"Thanks, but it's not all sunshine and butterflies."

"I know, my u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. Everything has its pluses and minuses. How did you become High Priestess? You weren't High Priestess in Training for very long."

And so Zoey told her all about Neferet and the board of Teachers running the school. Her grandma took her hand in both of hers and squeezed it every now and again to let her granddaughter know that she was there for her.

"Something dark is heading our way." Zoey confessed the feeling that she had been holding in for quite sometime.

"I've felt it too, my u-we-tsi-a-ge-ya. I want you to take some lavender and materials for wafting sticks back with you. The evil being will come from the Earth, from which he has been trapped, but he needs help to get out. I want you to keep a close eye out for anything suspicious, or any paranormal activity. I'd keep watch for an unnatural heat rising from the ground."

Zoey nodded and then took another sip of hot chocolate.

"So now, let's talk about these two men. We'll start with the one causing you problems."

Of course Grandma would start with Erik. Zoey wasn't that different from her grandmother: they saved the best for last and ate dessert before dinner.

"Well, we talked it out today. We're starting as friends again, but it wont be easy."

"It's because he's still in love with you."

Zoey nodded and then waited for her grandmother's words of wisdom.

"Are you still in love with him?"

"No. I feel guilt for going behind his back, but I outgrew him. Those feelings I use to have aren't there anymore."

"Then if he tries to cross the lines, make it clear to him that he is nothing more than a friend."

"I know, Grandma. It's just, well he's a teacher now, and he and Loren don't exactly get along."

"I'm not surprised, but you said that Loren is much older, so I assume he's more mature, and knows how to handle the situation."

"Yes." Zoey said with a blush. "Loren is very mature. He's very sweet. He's very good to me. Sometimes it feels like he's the only thing keeping me together. I miss him when we're apart. Then when we're together, it's absolutely magical. Then there's our imprint. It just makes things better. I always know what he's feeling, and I can be there for him. I loved Erik, but this is so much more than what he and I had."

"Zoey, you're smiling. I haven't seen you smile like this before. You really love Loren, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Will you bring him to meet me soon?"

"Yes! Of course I will! Oh I can't wait for you to meet him. Oh, Grandma, thank you. I'm feeling so much better."

She hugged her grandmother closely and noticed that the woman was quite tired.

"Let me get those things for you." Grandma Redbird offered as she rose from the couch.

When she came back she had a bag for her granddaughter. They said their goodbyes and then Zoey hurried out to her car. She turned on the radio and then called Loren.

"I'm coming home, Baby, I'm coming home."

**Thanks for reading. So these next few chapters coming up, I'm really excited about them. Loren's past will finally be revealed, but the story doesn't end there. Oh no, it's far from over. If some of you noticed I added to the story description. Did anyone catch the special something I added to the chapter to tie into the rest of the HoN series. Has anyone guessed who the evil something is? Yes it's a who. **

**Voice in my head: of course it's a who. **

**Me: I was just being nice and giving my amazing readers a hint**

**Voice in my head: I don't think you have to say that it's a who, after all you did say he**

**Me: you're so picky**

**Voice in my head: Of course I am, I'm in your brain, I make these stories so don't fuss with me**

**Me: I can fuss with you if I want to, and don't get all high on your horse, you don't write them alone, my heart helps you, too, it's why you go all gaga over Loren **

**Voice in my head: well Loren is just our type**

**Me: See, I'm right, now would you like to tell our lovely readers about the who **

**Voice: the who is a hot who, an evil but hot who, who is the hot who? You will just have to stayed tuned and see who the hot who is. **


	8. Confessions from his Midnight Past

**Hey everyone! Oh my goodness, this chapter just jumped right out of me. This is the chapter that you have all been waiting for, but don't worry it's not the end. It's far from over. This is just one of THE major chapters. Fyi, in the first scene where Zoey is running to Loren and they kiss, I imagined that either Count on my love my Liz Phair or Home by Daughtry playing as background music. Well here is the chapter you have been anticipating! Enjoy!**

Chapter Eight

_Confessions from His Midnight Past_

Zoey hit the ground running the second she got out of the car. Loren would be waiting for her by her wall, and she was anxious to be back in his arms. She ran at top speed, getting faster with each stride. It wasn't until Loren was in her range of sight that her body truly responded to her needs, and pushed her forward until she collided with her lover.

His arms embraced her the moment she was within reach. Her eyes were bright and smiling, and she was full of life.

"Zoey, My Love." Loren murmured and then captured her lips with his.

She didn't hesitate to kiss him back. She had been waiting since she left to kiss him again.

"Loren, I missed you." Zoey moaned into the kiss as she pulled him down further to kiss him more deeply.

His arms tightened round her, pulling her even closer to him so that he could he feel all of her against his body.

"I missed you, My Love."

Zoey shuddered with pleasure at the sound of him calling her his love.

"Let's take this upstairs, away from unworthy eyes." Loren teased his angel, who smiled at his with mischief dancing in her eyes.

He led her upstairs to his room, holding her hand lovingly in his. His fingers were laced with hers, showing their unity to anyone who dared to encroach on their happiness. They shared kisses as they hurried up inside the poet's loft, along with sweet caresses and slight petting of their faces and arms.

By the time they were in his room they were kissing feverishly. Zoey was slipping her fingers under the hem of his shirt, anxious to rid him of the cloth. Loren reached for her hands, and stilled them. She lifted her eyes to meet his, searching for the reason that he had stopped her.

"Zoey, we need to talk. There are some things I need to tell you before I make love to you again."

She let him lead her to the bed, where they sat down facing each other. Zoey took one of his large hands and held it in her small ones. She traced patterns on his skin, while she waited for him to begin to speak.

Loren took a deep breath and then shifted his gaze to Zoey. In her eyes he found his confidence.

"Do you know how old I am?" Loren asked as he leaned in to stroke Zoey's cheek.

"Old." Zoey answered in a small, almost uncertain voice.

"Yes." Loren laughed. "I'm old. Four hundred and thirty two to be exact."

Zoey's eyes widened, which confused Loren.

"Does it bother you that I'm that old?" He asked now cupping her chin in his hand.

Zoey shook her head.

"No. It doesn't bother me. I was just surprised. You've been around since the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First."

Loren nodded with a laugh.

"I completed the change the year that she died, but that is beside the point."

He took a deep breath and then looked into Zoey's eyes.

"I've done bad things, Zoey. I've hurt a lot of people. I was a selfish monster who thirsted for blood. I didn't want the blood that had been sitting in chalices. I wanted fresh warm blood." His hands began to shake, and that movement ran through his entire body.

Zoey kneeled before him and placed her hands on each side of his face.

"Love, I'm here. You can tell me." Zoey coaxed him.

She looked into his eyes and found all the fear in the world. He was afraid that what he was going to tell her would push her away.

"I've killed people, Zoey." Loren said in a stern voice, as if warning her that the worst of his story was still to come.

"I don't care, Loren. I still love you."

"Zoey, I wish that was the worst of it all, but it's far from it. Do you know how I came to know Neferet?"

Zoey shuddered at the name. She didn't want to think about Neferet knowing her lover for so long.

"No." Zoey answered as Loren reclaimed his composure.

"We both came over from England on the same boat. We knew very well what the other was. She took it as an opportunity to befriend me. Of course, she wanted to be more than friends. I never had interest in her. Anyway, we both suffered through the American Revolution. I was a solider."

Zoey wasn't surprised to discover that Loren had been a solider. She leaned into his caress and smiled.

"That doesn't bother me." She murmured.

"I was fighting for Independence. I got trigger-happy. I took down men, like dominoes. I remember the sounds of bullets whizzing through the air, and I remember the sight of men falling dead. I took so much pleasure in shedding blood. I remember the cries of the fallen, and I remember how I would smile. I was bloodthirsty. I was so sick, Zoey, I would take blood from my victims. I didn't have respect for the dead, at least those that were from enemy lines. I was a decorated solider. I led missions and operations. I worked my way to the top. Then I took part in the civil war: I was fighting for the Union. After that I fought in both World Wars. I've seen a lot of death. I'll never forget Vietnam."

Loren caged his face in his hands. Pain surged through his body, causing him to shake violently. His mind was returning to the darkness that he had locked away for so long. He hadn't cared about love until just after his first century of life, but he knew that he was a monster. He wouldn't hurt Zoey. He could never do that. Right now, he was afraid of that monster inside of him. Zoey pried his face from his hands and then embraced him.

"Tell me, Loren. I won't run. I promise that I won't run."

"We were in a deserted part of town. We were rescuing a fallen solider. I had never been so frightened in my life. You see for someone as old as I am, I had seen technology grow, and it frightened me. I thought of wars with muskets, not bombs. I had fought in the World Wars, but something was different about Vietnam. I lost my composure on the field and it cost me so many innocent lives. We were surrounding a shack like house, and trying to help a fellow solider heal and get his act together. He was new; it was his first time facing real war. He was in his early twenties and he had gone into shock. It was my job, along with another man on my team, to keep a look out for the enemy. I was nervous, and I wasn't use to feeling so anxious to get out of sight. I remember the pack of men running towards us. I thought they were the enemy and I so I opened fire. Zoey, I fired on my own men. The poor boy in the shack died, too. He was just wounded too badly to be saved with the supplies that we had. Then they sent me to one of their centers to recover. They put me back in the city to watch out for terrorist activity in the city. They sent me home after that, because I couldn't even protect civilians. They said to me, 'You've been fighting for us since the Revolution. We'll let you go.' So they sent be back home to America, which wasn't really quite home anymore. I took a few years off to get my life back together. It took me a while to become mentally stable again. I went to college got my degree. Taught at a few schools and now I'm here."

Zoey held Loren close to her. She let him cry. Loren was strong, but he was also fragile. She hushed him as she rubbed his back. Now he was not only physically healed, but emotionally as well.

"I still love you, Loren. Everything that you just told me doesn't change the way I see you or the way I feel about you."

"How can you love a monster like me? How can you care for someone as murderous as I was? Doesn't it scare you, Zoey? Doesn't it disgust you?"

Zoey responded only with a shake of her head. Loren looked up into her eyes and saw truth. She understood the pain.

"You're not alone, Loren. I've been selfish. I've hurt my friends. My damage may not be on the same scale as yours, but I understand what you're afraid of. You don't have to afraid anymore, Loren. You've found your redemption, and I've found mine. We don't have to be afraid of ourselves. We can't and don't have to run from our pasts. I know your past isn't easy to accept, but it's part of you. You've grown since then. I don't care how many people you've slaughtered. It doesn't matter, because you're better than that now. You have a heart and you have a conscience. You can love, Loren. You can be good, again. You are good."

Loren rested his head on Zoey's breast as he took in all that she had just told him. Zoey loved him despite all that he had confessed. He had let her into the depths of his midnight past. The sun had dawned and the night had fallen away. He no longer had to live alone in darkness. This was his time to step into the light, and live again. He could be happy without guilt. He would not just be good for Zoey, but for himself.

"Thank you, Nyx." He murmured and then kneeled with his lover.

He wrapped Zoey in his arms and smiled at her.

"You're amazing, you know?" He chuckled as Zoey's hands slid up his chest.

"You're pretty amazing yourself." She giggled with a smirk.

"I'm healed." He grinned with a seductive smile and then bent his head to kiss the crook of her neck.

"I'm ready." She replied and then tried to undo his buttons.

Again he caught her hands and looked at her. Only this time there was lust and mischief in his eyes instead of pain.

"We can do it after dinner, but before you come here after your meal I want you to go into your room, shower, change, and put together a night bag. Then you can back here and everything will be ready for you."

"I'm in for a treat." She growled and then titled her neck so that he could continue to suck on the skin.

"Yes, my love, yes you are."

**So what did you think? I really hope that I met y'all's expectations. I really like to please my readers and I hate letting them down. Please leave a comment and telling me what you think. It's your comments that sometimes decide where I take this story. The next chapter or two will be blissful. Then I'll see what I'm doing, well I have an idea, just the details are a little blurry right now. Thanks for reading! **


	9. Rose Petals

**Hey everyone! Here's one of my favorite chapters. We finally get to see the true connection between these two. This story is rated T so unfortunately there is not a sex scene, it's a right before and right after sort of thing. Sorry. In the scene where Loren and Zoey are laying together after they've made love I just imagined "Like a Star" by Corinne Bailey Rae playing softly in the background. So as I've been hinting there is still so much more to come. I really hope that you all enjoy this chapter because I loved writing it. Enjoy!**

Chapter Nine

_Rose petals_

Zoey was anxious to get back to Loren. She had not seen him after dinner, but she knew that he was getting her surprise ready. She took one last look at the full-length mirror and then let out a sigh of satisfaction. She had perfectly executed her make up, and she had put in the extra effort to blow dry her straight black hair. She had put on a sexy set of black lace lingerie that was covered by an elegant floor length black gown. The gown had an open back that showed off her tattoos and a low plunging neckline. She could only imagine the look on Loren's face when he saw her. She had to give herself a hand for the work that she had done. Zoey had no idea how nicely she cleaned up.

Loren had confessed everything to her. At first she wasn't sure what to expect. She was frightened a bit by what she had been told. She hurt for him, but all the fear and pain was replaced with her love for him. There were no more secrets between them. The thought put a smile on her face, and so she finished putting together her night bag and headed for the door.

She would have to take the indoor path because she decided not to wear shoes. She didn't feel like dealing with high heels, and she couldn't be anywhere near as graceful or run as fast in heels as she could in her bare feet. She could look elegant if she wanted to by adding the heels, but that wasn't the look that she was going for. She wanted to flaunt her favorite style: simple beauty.

She left her room with a smile on her face and love in her heart. Girls in the dorm lounge gave her the evil eye when they saw she was all dolled up for the night. She heard them snicker and call her all sorts of nasty things, but she didn't care. She happened to pass Aphrodite and Darius making out in the hallway.

"Get a room." Zoey teased causing Darius to laugh.

"We're trying to get there, but her room isn't close enough." Darius laughed as Aphrodite sent her a knowing smile.

"Have a good night, Zoey."

"You, too."

She picked up her speed once she walked out onto the covered passageway that would lead her to the teachers' dorms. She hated that she had to pass through the halls in which Erik lurked but it was safer than going around the building to the back entrance of the poet's loft and taking the erie staircase. She could simply going in the side door of the teachers' dorm, run up the winding staircase, cross Erik's floor and then run across the small bridge to the poet's loft, which was her plan.

Once she was safely on Erik's floor she slowed down her pace. She wanted to arrive at Loren's looking relaxed and elegant. She was in the process of passing Erik's room when a voice addressed her.

"Zoey, isn't it a little late to be making a trip to a place this far away from your dorm. Besides, student curfew is nearing." Erik tried to sound strict but of course his strength faltered when she turned around to reveal her true beauty.

"It's never too late to be on my way to see my lover. Besides, High Priestess privilege. Have yourself a good night Professor, I sure know that I will."

Erik watched Zoey walk away, looking as beautiful as ever. He wished that Zoey had come to see him looking like that. He would have been more than happy to have welcomed her into his room tonight and shared his bed with her, but she was going to see Loren, the one man that Erik would never care for, the one man that stole the woman that owned his heart.

She could hear Loren moving around inside his room. She didn't even have to knock for him to know that she was there. The door opened, and revealed a very sexy looking Loren. He wore black slacks with a white shirt that had been left unbuttoned. He must have been on the same train of thought for he was bare foot as well.

"Come in, My Darling. You look absolutely magnificent. " Loren warmly welcomed his angel while extending his hand to her.

Loren knew that magnificent didn't do the sight before him justice. She was so much more than magnificent. She daintily placed her hand in his and then allowed herself to be led into the room. He took her bag from her and placed it against the wall. Then he led her into the room, anxious to see her reaction.

She gasped when she saw what Loren had done to the room. Rose petals were splayed out across the floor. Some of the petals were resting on the bed. The sheets that once kept the pair warm had been replaced with fine silk linens. Candles were carefully placed throughout the room, giving the space a romantic feel.

"Oh, Loren." She cooed as he shut the door behind him.

"I wanted to make this special, because I lacked all of this our first time. This is how it should have been, and I will never forgive myself for the way I took you, but I'm making up for it now."

He didn't give Zoey time to protest. He quickly wrapped her up in his arm and began to kiss her. It wasn't a fierce kiss, he was teasing her with slight brushes of their lips. He waited until her lips pulled on his, asking for more.

When the kiss became more passionate they became lost in their sensations and the sounds of their lips kissing and the sounds of pleasure that they made. Zoey's hand found it's way into Loren's thick raven colored hair. She pulled on his dark locks, forcing him to bend further down to deepen the kiss. They were starving for each other tonight. Heated kisses would not serve sufficient, they needed so much more.

"Loren, the bed." Zoey moaned as she leaned further into him.

Loren nodded in response and then picked her up; cradling her in his arms. He carried her across the room, still kissing his lover with heated passion.

He laid her down gently on top of the petals and silk, smiling at the sight of her beauty and the lust in her eyes. She was splayed out before him, ready to make love. He asked himself how he had come to deserve this woman, but the thought was pushed aside by a shiver of excitement running through his body when his name left her lips. He crawled on top of her and was filled with pleasure when she wrapped her arms and legs around him.

"Do it." She whispered in a seductive voice.

There was no way for Loren to deny this woman, nor would he ever deny her of her wishes. And so they made themselves bare and they immersed themselves in the pleasure that they had both been aching for.

Zoey laid on her side with an arm draped over Loren's chest. Her legs were tangled in the silk sheets and her back was bare. Loren rested with an arm behind his head while his other hand played with loose strands of Zoey's hair. They were smiling at each other; the love that they had for each other was shining brightly in their eyes.

"Loren, I was wondering, because you're, well, old, is it weird dating someone so young?"

Loren couldn't help but chuckle at the blush that was forming in Zoey's cheeks. She was so sincere.

"No, and to be completely honest, when I'm with you I don't feel old at all, I feel young again."

Zoey's smile returned, only wider than before.

"So, you're from England and you've spent a lot of time in America, where else have you been?"

"Well I spent quite a bit of time in Italy, I love it there. I lived in France for fifteen years. I've also lived in Germany, Scotland, Ireland, and South America. I've done quite a bit of traveling and I spent some time in Africa a few years ago, I was helping with the RED program. I tend to go to Haiti to give a hand. Ever since I decided to turn my life around I've been reaching out to those who are in need."

Zoey smiled softly and then leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

"You're so good." She murmured and then returned to her previous position.

"So Miss RedBird, where is it that you want to go?" Loren asked as he moved his hand from behind his head to the valley of his lovers back.

Zoey took a moment to think about her answer and what Loren was up to. He was one to spoil her rotten.

"Tuscany and the Italian country side." She answered causing a mischievous sparkle to form in Loren's eyes.

"I'll take you there one day. Maybe during the summer or as a graduation present when you make the change."

"So what was your favorite time period?"

"Well, that's not very hard to figure out. I would have to say this one."

"But the world was much better back then, wasn't it?"

"You weren't there so the answer is no."

"That's so sweet, but totally cheesy."

"I know, but it's true. The world was a dull and boring place full of death and pain, before you came along. You're the light in my life, Zoey. My favorite time is here and now, where I can hold you in my arms and watch you smile and hear you laugh. I love the now because I can touch you and kiss you. I love the present because you exist. I love the now because I love you."

Zoey bent her head to kiss him. She couldn't even begin to fathom how incredibly lucky she was.

He accepted her kiss with a deeper one. He wanted to draw out the moment and savor it.

He coaxed her to lay down with his hands. She didn't fight it, and she let herself relax against his chest. Then he remembered the candles that were still burning.

Loren slipped out from underneath her, causing her to curl up on her side. He wouldn't be gone for long, he just wanted to blow out all the candles to prevent any fires. He made his work quick and then slid back under the covers beside her, happy to return to the warmth of her small body against his. He placed a tender kiss on her bare shoulder and then let out a sigh of happiness.

"Go to sleep, Love. You have school tomorrow and we can't have you falling asleep during class." Loren whispered in her ear, earning a groan of half exhaustion and half protest, from her.

She was tired, but he didn't blame her. She had had a long day, and she had used the last of her energy to make love. Not long after, Loren heard Zoey's soft snores. They weren't loud and obnoxious. If anything, her snores weren't really snores at all; they were simply soft sighs that she made in her sleep. He relaxed into his own slumber, now that he was finally able to rest with a clear conscience. He had confessed his past and now Zoey knew everything. There would be no more nightmares. He could sleep in peace with Zoey in his arms, amongst the rose petals.


	10. Angel

**Thank you everyone for your reviews. I am loving this story so much. So as everyone knows Burned is growing near. April 27th, the day after my birthday, is it's release. A quick note, when Loren wakes before Zoey does I imagined Satellite by the Dave Matthew's Band playing in the background. When they are out in the snow I imaged It's Your Day by Yiruma playing. Enjoy and please leave a review!**

Chapter Ten

_Angel_

Loren woke before Zoey, to his pleasure. His eyes fluttered opened and he gasped at the beautiful sight in his arms. Zoey was cuddled to him with her hair pressed against the side of her face and her back. Her soft snores were getting softer, meaning that she was getting closer to waking. He took pleasure in being able to watch her like this, in the haven of her dreams.

The soft snores came to an end and then he heard Zoey begin to stir. Her eyes fluttered open and then she let out a soft yawn.

"Good morning, Beautiful." Loren chimed at the portal of her ear.

Zoey instantly remembered where she was. She moved her fingers first and felt warmth around them. Loren was holding one of her hands, and their flingers were laced. That's always where his hand was in the morning; she always woke to find his hand on hers.

"Good morning, Love." She murmured still sounding a bit sleepy.

She turned in his arms to face him, and was welcome with a warm smile. Loren couldn't help but lean in to place a kiss on her lips. She was so beautiful that he felt a need to worship her with his kisses. He breathed into her, causing all of her senses to awaken. She suddenly began to contribute more to the kiss and began to move so that their fronts were pressed together.

Loren was the one to break the kiss for he knew that they had to get ready for the day. He slid out from under the covers despite Zoey's protests and then walked across the room to his closet. Zoey stared after him in awe. He was amazingly handsome, and naked, he was just drop dead gorgeous. She couldn't believe that this man had made love to her last night.

"Are you sure that we don't have time to do it again before school?" Zoey asked, not truly believing that those words had left her mouth.

He turned around to look at her and then smiled. He then looked at the clock on his nightstand. The sun wouldn't be going down and breakfast wouldn't be served for another forty-five minutes. He walked back to her and then climbed back into bed. They had time for another round.

"Sweet Nyx, that was good!" Loren panted as he collapsed into the bed.

Zoey crawled closer to him and rested her head on his chest.

"You're telling me. Unfortunately, we have school."

Zoey was the first to crawl out of bed and it was Loren's turn to gasp at her beauty. He needed her to put clothes on so that he could think straight. He watched her search her for her under garments. He had tossed them carelessly across the room. She had found her panties but where was her bra.

After she heard Loren clear his throat she turned to look at him. He had a mischievous smile on his face and he was looking at the lamp. There hung her bra. He reached over and pulled it off the shade and then threw it to her.

"Thanks." She murmured a bit embarrassed that Loren was seeing her half naked.

She told herself that she shouldn't be, after all, they had made love three times now and so he _had_ seen her naked. Hethought that she was _beautiful. _

They didn't waste time getting dressed. They knew that they wanted to be composed before they headed out into public. As much as they wanted to show their passion for each other in public they knew that it had to be toned down. They could only show so much love in front of others. They had to settle for kisses that were loving and hugs that were quick. Loren hated that he couldn't give her the PDA that a teenage boy could, but then again he knew that Zoey wasn't the biggest fan of PDA to begin with.

Once Zoey was dressed Loren sat her down on the bed.

"Let me brush your hair."

He took her brush from her and then had her sit at an angle so that it would be easier for him to brush her hair. Zoey relaxed when he began to run the brush through her locks. She knew that she had mega sex hair and needed the brushing, but she knew that he would have offered to do this despite how bad her hair looked. He hummed a song that she was not familiar with as he ran the brush through her hair. She then let out a relaxed sigh and closed her eyes.

"Does this please you?" He asked softly, not with seductive intentions, but with ones of compassion.

"Yes." She murmured.

"Then I will do this for you every morning that I am with you, which I hope is more often than not."

Her heart swelled at his words. Loren was so incredibly sweet to her that she turned around and threw her arms around him.

"Thank you." She whispered and then kissed his clothed shoulder.

"It is my pleasure, My Angel."

Zoey pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"Did you just call me your angel?" She asked seeming shocked.

He smiled at her as he thought over what he had said to her. He had called her that. He had always referred to her as such in his mind, but never had he voiced those thoughts.

"Yes, I did, because you are. You are my angel."

A smile warmed Zoey's face and then she placed a kiss upon Loren's lips. He happily returned the kiss, but then the sound of his phone alarm let him know that they needed to get down to breakfast for it had just began to be served.

They walked outside to find it snowing. The snow had been on the ground for quite some time, but it had not been consistently falling. Zoey ran around in the snow in an attempt to have Loren chase after her, which he did. He caught her and twirled her around in the snow. Zoey looked so beautiful with the snow behind her. Her dark black hair was a ravaging black energy that vexed him. She truly was his angel. He kissed her in the snow, and held her close as the snow capped their bodies, making them look like a pair winter lovers.

They hurried down to the dining hall, reluctant to part, but knew that they had to. Loren took both of her hands in his and then lowered his face to hers. They shared a sweet parting kiss and then went on their separate ways.


	11. Aya

**Hey everyone! So I just wanted to thank y'all for the reviews. I've taken into account that some of all are really loving Loren's sweetness but you want a little more trouble with Erik. I've had my arguments with the peanut gallery in my head that tells me that the first chapter should be called the trouble with Erik and that the story should be renamed, but then the super trooper side of me tells me that that would be giving up. So I put a little more effort into adding more trouble. I apologize in advance for the mood of this story. Happy Valentines Day, Y'all. If my friends from school are reading this you know why I'm a bit down today, decisions. Yes you all are right I should just suck up my pride and tell him how I feel. **

**If you want to get into the mood of this chapter listen to the following songs:**

**Gravity by Sara Bareilles**

**Come home by OneRepublic **

**Say (All I need) by One Republic**

**All the same by Sick Puppies**

**Enjoy and please continue to leave reviews. They inspire me! **

Chapter Eleven

_A-ya_

The snow fell with grace upon the House of Night. The house, known to the humans as a place of darkness, was being coated with white. Erik stood in threshold of the exit only door of the auditorium, watching the snow fall. It made him uneasy. The earth was still and the world was quiet. Life was covered by a blanket of snow, allowing false innocence to hold presence in his life.

In the distance he swore that he saw a pair of dark eyes. The orbs saw through him and around, almost as if they were asking him where they were. Then from the trees he saw a pair of black-feathered wings. He tried to make out the figure, but even his vampyre eyes were fooled by the paranormal shadows.

He shook his head and told himself that it was an illusion. Unfortunately, the figure stepped forth from the shadows and stood ten feet away from him. A man, who was much taller than him, with long black hair and fallen angel wings, was staring at him.

"Erik Night." The man said with a dark voice and an even darker smile.

Erik stood still, afraid to move.

"How do you know who I am?" Erik asked, surprised that at the anger in his own voice.

"I know because you know my A-ya."

Erik looked at the man in confusion.

"A-ya, I don't know an A-ya."

"You know her by another name. Nevertheless, I'm willing to strike a deal with you. I know how you feel for Zoey Redbird. She knows my A-ya very well. If you bring Zoey to me and get her to tell me where A-ya is, I'll get her to fall in love with you again. Do we have a deal Mr. Night?"

The man extended his hand to Erik, who hesitated for a moment. Then after a quick moment of thinking he firmly grasped the man's hand and shook it.

The school day had flown past Zoey, leaving her feeling unusually empty. She had been so happy this morning, but something had changed. It wasn't Loren. He had done nothing wrong. It was something in the atmosphere. She sat on her wall out in the courtyard, and let her legs dangle over the edge. Tears formed in her eyes, and the cold only made the tears sting more. She hadn't told Loren where she was. She wasn't answering her phone, though it had buzzed a million times. Something within her was aching. She was complete but broken. Reality had set in. This feeling in the atmosphere was the reality of her world. She stared out across the courtyard at the space where Loren had almost died.

Loren was the twilight of her life. He was her sunset, it was the most beautiful thing in the world but if you didn't look fast enough it would slip away behind the horizon. She had managed to claim that sunset, and it became a constant, yet she ached. Reality would never be total bliss as it had been recently. Nyx had chosen her for a mission. It would require her to be strong when she was at her point of breaking.

Nala had found her and was cuddled at her side. She stroked her cat in hope of receiving comfort. She wished that she could solve the mist in the distance. She wanted to dissolve the energy that was growing around her. The tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Nala nuzzled her head against Zoey's leg and then climbed onto Zoey's lap to show her owner that she was there for her.

Loren pushed through the halls in attempt to find Zoey, who was not answering her phone. He was relieved when he found Darius and Aphrodite.

"Have either of you seen Zoey?" He asked the pair.

They looked at each other and then looked at Loren.

"No." Aphrodite answered. "I thought that she was with you."

"No, she's not and she's not answering her phone either. I can feel that she's upset though."

"I walked into her drama class today." Darius spoke up. "She seemed off."

"Yeah. She seemed distracted and almost upset during lunch. She's in one of her I have to solve a huge problem modes, you know the kind where she won't tell anyone what is going on." Aphrodite concluded and then looked at Loren.

"I guess that I'll go look for her at her wall."

Loren made his way to the wall, and just as he had thought, she was sitting there. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she looked like she was trying to hold herself together. He ran to the wall hoping that he could get to her faster.

She didn't look up when Loren jumped up next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She just sat there and continued to shake from her powerful sobs.

"Have you ever been completely happy and then something comes along and punches you in the stomach and suddenly it feels like you're holding on by a thread?" Zoey finally asked, now lifting her gaze to meet Loren's.

"Yes. It makes you fall down and then all the world moves in slow motion." He answered while pulling her closer.

"That's how I feel. There's nothing anyone can do to fix it. It's A-ya. I saw her in me today in the mirror. Grandma use to tell me the story of how A-ya came to be, and now she's in me. I don't feel like doing anything but crying."

The tears began to flow again and so he held her to him while hushing her.

"You're still you, Angel. I'm here for you. I love you." He whispered in her ear and then turned his attention to the sound of snow crunching under footsteps. Heading towards them was the man that he didn't want to see. Erik. Perfect timing.

Zoey looked up to see Erik and then made a noise of anger.

"What's wrong?" Erik asked while trying to sound innocent.

"I hate you! You did this! You had to make me look in the mirror! I'll never forgive you, Erik!" Zoey screamed at Erik.

Loren had absolutely no idea what had happened between the pair. Just yesterday they were trying to be friends again, and now this.

"Loren, please, take me somewhere else."

He didn't hesitate to follow his girlfriend's wishes. He cradled her in his arms and then carried her to her room.

Soon the whole gang was in Zoey's room with the couple. Loren sat on the bed behind Zoey, supporting her weight. Aphrodite and Damien sat in front of her, and then the twins on each side of her with Darius standing beside Aphrodite and Jack squeezing onto the side beside Damien.

"So A-ya is the woman that the Cherokee woman used to trapped this Kalona guy?" Jack asked as he watched Loren placed a tender kiss on top of Zoey's head.

Zoey nodded in response.

"Do you know how Erik got the mirror that let A-ya wake up inside of you?" Darius asked as he lightly stroked Aphrodite's back.

Zoey simply shook her head.

"Erik is an asshat." Aphrodite huffed as she reached for Zoey's hand.

"I don't want A-ya in me." Zoey finally murmured as she leaned back into Loren. She was curled up in his arms where she knew that she was safe.

"We'll find a way to fix this, Z." Erin and Shaunee encouraged simultaneously.

"I really hope so." Zoey whispered and found herself believing the words.

Then she did something that no one had expected her to do quite yet. She smiled.


	12. the Mirror of Souls

**Hey everyone! Sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter. You see my cousin and I are really big Alice in Wonderland junkies and there is this awesome Manga called Hearts no Kuni no Alice (Alice in the Country of Hearts), which I have become hooked on. I've been reading it and so I haven't really written in a while but now I have to wait for the next chapter to come out so I'm back to writing again. I'm sorry if this chapter is a little disconnected. It was written over a period of a few days and so if it doesn't flow like my other chapters please forgive me. Enjoy. **

Chapter Twelve

_The Mirror of Souls_

Zoey sat on Aphrodite's bed, her legs crossed Indian style with her eyes closed. She, Shaunee, Erin, and Aphrodite were all having a sleepover in Aphrodite's room. It surprised Zoey when Aphrodite invited the twins and that the twins accepted the invitation because those three didn't get along on a daily basis. Aphrodite sat behind Zoey on her knees and was brushing the High Priestess's hair. After today's episode she had decided that Zoey needed girl time. It wasn't that she wanted Zoey necessarily away from Loren; it's just that she didn't want Zoey under just one person's supervision. Aphrodite had had a vision not long after Zoey had calmed down back in her room with the group. It didn't settle any one, and it only seemed to make Zoey more concerned.

Zoey relaxed due to the pampering that she was receiving. She imagined though, that it was Loren who was brushing her hair just as he had this morning. She played the tune in her mind that he had hummed and she then found herself in peace. The world seemed so much simpler inside of that melody. It was almost as if every fear melted away because of the tune. If only life were that easy. Giving up and succumbing to darkness, and dying is easy; living and pushing through for tomorrow is harder.

She was awoken from her thoughts by the sound of Erin's voice.

"Zoey, did you hear what I said." Erin asked as she stared at her friend.

Zoey opened her eyes slowly, and then found Erin before her.

"No, I'm sorry, my mind was off somewhere else."

Erin made a sound of annoyance and then brushed it off, which confused Zoey.

"Erik is out in the hall. He wants to talk to you." Shaunee clarified.

Zoey let out a sigh and then got up off the bed. She headed towards the door and then slowly opened it.

Erik stood out in the hall, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Zoey wrapped her night cover more tightly around her body, making sure that none of her cleavage was visible to her horrid ex. Unfortunately, by her hugging the cover closer it only emphasized the loveliness of her curves, which made it hard for Erik to look at her without being disrespectful.

He bowed before her, which shocked her. This meant that he knew he had done wrong and so he was being a kiss ass.

"You wanted to see me." Zoey stated quite coldly.

He gave her a look of confusion, for he was somewhat hurt by the tone of her voice.

"Come on, Professor Night, out with it. You're wasting my time by not stating your business. You've already put a damper on my day, so please be respectful and not waste my time any further."

He was surprised by how much she sounded like a High Priestess.

"About earlier." Erik murmured, feeling stupid that he couldn't seem stronger.

Zoey was just so intimidating right now.

"Yes. You've gotten your pay back. Are you happy now Erik? I hurt you and now you've hurt me. Are you satisfied? Did it please you to see me tremble? To hear me scream? Did it fill you with delight to know that you were the one that awoke A-ya within me?"

"No, of course not, Zoey. I didn't take any pleasure in it, but I did it for you. I did it for us."

Erik stepped forward and took both of her hands in his and looked into her eyes. He wanted them to be together again.

Zoey pulled her hands away and then backed against the door so that one of her hands was gripping the knob.

"Tell me who gave you the mirror!" She yelled at him as she began to turn the knob.

"You won't come with me if I tell you."

"Then I can't trust you. You blew your chance, Erik. Goodnight."

Zoey opened the door and threw herself inside. She slammed the door behind her and then locked it. She slid down against it, not crying, but breathing heavily. She heard footsteps walking away, which could only mean that Erik was leaving. She needed Erik gone for good, but he was one of the best drama teachers this school could get their hands on and so she couldn't fire him without just cause. This was personal, and she couldn't do anything until A-ya caused trouble.

She looked around the room and saw that her friends were looking at her. They had heard everything that she had said, and were somewhat shocked. Aphrodite knew better than the twins, though. Soon, Zoey would soon be acting more like a High Priestess. It was a destiny and it was unavoidable. If she wanted to be taken seriously she needed to show her place.

When it came time to go to bed Zoey thought back to what had happened after Drama class.

_Just as Zoey was about to leave Erik's hand grasped her shoulder firmly. _

_ "We need to talk." Erik whispered in her ear, which made her uneasy._

_She didn't question him. She simply nodded her head and followed him. He led her into his office and had her sit down. He pulled a package wrapped in brown paper from underneath a pile of papers and then began to unwrap it. She sat quietly and watched Erik prepare whatever it was that he was going to do. Zoey wondered what was inside of the package, but remained silent. _

_ "I have something to show you." Erik murmured with a hint of darkness in his tone. _

_She stared at him as he pulled back the paper from the object. Her eyes intently focused on the glass that was being uncovered and once the paper had been completely pulled away she froze in fear. _

_ In the mirror was A-ya. A woman that looked fairly similar to her but with a smile that was almost catlike. Erik had the Mirror of Souls. Her soul was A-ya from the story that Grandma Redbird had told her. _

_ She found herself falling out of the chair and staring up at Erik from her spot on the floor. He had put the mirror down and he was staring at her with eyes of love. _

_ "How did you get that?" Zoey asked with fear hinged in her voice. _

_ "A friend gave it to me." He responded nonchalantly. _

_ "Why did you do this to me, Erik?" _

_He didn't respond. He merely looked at her and then crawled onto the floor beside her. He tried to touch her but she pulled away. Erik wasn't satisfied with her reaction and so he used his strength to force her to him. He began to kiss his fiercely, hoping that she would respond with a similar passion, but she did not. She sat there, not moving and not saying a word. When he pulled back from her he looked into her eyes and realized that something had changed within in her and that he was the one who had brought the horrid change upon her._

Zoey fell asleep that night with an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something was changing within her. As she slept, she dreamed of a world that she had never seen before. She stood in a field of grass that overlooked the ocean. The wind whipped her long black around her, almost as if it were surrounding her. She looked across the field and found a man with large wings. He was staring at her, almost as if he were contemplating whether to approach her or how to approach her.

She felt so vulnerable and so alone. She ached for Loren to wake her up for the air of the dream had suddenly changed to something dark. The man began to walk towards her at a steady pace. She wished that she knew a way around him, but there really was none. This was this man's world and she had found herself a prisoner.

"A-ya." The man whispered as he neared her.

He continued to chant that name over and over until he was standing before her.

"Kalona." Zoey gasped as she stumbled backwards.

She shut her eyes tight and wished for a world where Kalona did not exist.

"My A-ya." Kalona whispered as he crouched down beside her and then took her face in his hands.

"Why won't you look at me, A-ya?" He asked as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Go away, Kalona." Zoey yelled, but not forcefully enough for him to believe that she truly wanted him to leave.

"You don't really mean that, A-ya." He laughed as he continued to kiss her face.

"Yes, I do. I have enough problems already. First Erik, and now you. I don't have enough sanity to deal with this."

She pulled away from him and opened her eyes. She saw how handsome Kalona was but she wouldn't let him fool her. He couldn't seduce her, for her love was far too strong for Loren.

"I'll make those troubles go away, A-ya. That's why I have come for you."

She shook her head in disagreement.

"My name isn't A-ya. I'm Zoey."

"Is that what you wish to be called."

"Yes."

"Then come with me, Zoey."

"Never."

She woke from the dream with tears in her eyes. The others were sound asleep, but she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore now that Kalona was here. She let her head fall against the pillows and stared at the ceiling.

"I love you, Loren." She whispered and then sighed heavily.


	13. Battlefield

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the wait! So life has been, well life. I originally was going to spend some more time with my Mortal Instruments fanfictions, which I did. I posted a chapter each of my other two stories. Then I got a PM from a very enthusiastic fan. All of a sudden the message motivates me to write this chapter which I wasn't planning on doing until after I wrote the next chapter of one of my other stories: Passing Through. I had planned for this chapter to happen at this time but just never as I just wrote it. it was like I was pounding at the keys and all of a sudden it's over and I have four pages of writing sitting in front of me. I did this all in one sitting. **

**I pretty much did a little happy dance. I haven't spat out four pages in our sitting in a long time. So thank you.**

**Thank you all of my lovely and dedicated readers. I really would like to get my amount of reviews up. It would make me very merry berry happy. **

**If you review you control the story, you never know what your reviews might inspire me to do. I would like to take a moment to thank three very special readers who always take time out of their day to leave a review. **

**Special thanks to:**

**bella swancullen123**

**LadyRin98790**

**artimisluna **

**Thank you artimisluna for your PM, this chapter is your special request. J Enjoy! **

Chapter Thirteen

_Battlefield _

_Last night (day:) You know what I mean. _

_This is right after Zoey slams the door on Erik. _

Erik ran his fingers through his hair with a grunt after Zoey slammed the door shut.

"Well that went wrong." He huffed and then turned to leave.

He felt terrible for what he had done but he could live with himself. Besides, isn't that what he had always done: screwed up and moved on when he couldn't fix it? Wasn't that the Erik Night way? Hell yes it was. Why change now? Of course, there would be consequences, but there were always consequences: nothing new.

He yawned as he crossed the courtyard on the cobblestone path that led back to the teacher's dorms.

_Zoey looked amazing. _He thought to himself as he approached the dorms.

He wanted Zoey more than anything, but the only thing that Zoey wanted was Loren. Erik wanted to do so many things to please Zoey, but how could he compete with Loren Blake, who had most likely, centuries of experience on him.

Upon approaching his room, he hesitated for he could hear someone inside of it. He prepared himself for combat and then put his hand on the knob. It was surprisingly unlocked. Cautiously, he opened the door only to find his worst nightmare staring him in the face.

"Hello, Erik." Loren Blake laughed darkly.

A fight was absolutely unavoidable. Loren had backed down too many times, and all for Zoey's sake. Blake did not want to upset his girlfriend, but now he was past her anger. Erik knew that he deserved what was coming, but would stand his ground even if it meant basing everything he would fight for on pretenses. Erik would make himself the victim, just like always.

"What are you doing in my room?" Erik barked at the intruder.

Loren merely laughed and then approached him. He wanted to make Erik pay.

There was no way that Erik was quick enough to move before Loren could get to him. The next thing Erik knew was that Loren had blasted a kick to his ribs and then restrained him down to the floor. He really should have known better than to mess with a holder of the Medal of Honor. Loren's face displayed fierce anger. He hissed at Erik as if he were a cobra ready to strike.

"You've hurt Zoey." Loren hissed as he kneed Erik in the family jewels.

Loren picked the boy up off the floor and straightened up so that he could fight. After Erik steadied his ragged breathing, despite his southern pain, he prepared himself for a fight.

Erik threw the first punch, which was easily blocked by Loren's expert skills. Loren let Erik have another free attack for he knew that Night would lose in the end. Loren was generous to let Erik have a few hits, which he had to admit, actually hurt.

"Why do you continue to pursue her?" Loren panted, now having broken into a sweat.

Erik threw an angry punch at him, which Loren caught with one hand and then pulled both of Erik's arms behind his back. He restrained the boy against his own body so that he would have no choice to move if Loren decided to move.

"I feel for her." Erik panted as he struggled against the man.

Never had Erik felt so helpless. He was ashamed to losing to Blake.

"Lies." Loren hissed and then twisted Erik's arms to cause pain.

"She was mine and you stole her from me." Erik grunted.

Loren released the boy, but not gently. He shoved the boy across the room so that he slammed into the wall.

"She chose me, Night. I know the two of you talked about it. You even agreed to try to be just friends, but then… Sweet Nyx, Erik, you're not very bright."

This greatly angered Erik. He did not like being insulted as such.

"She's fair game. She can choose to leave you. I'll tell her about your past." Erik threatened, but this only made Loren smile.

"Too late." Loren laughed. "I told her everything and she still accepts me. She still wants me. She still –"

Loren was cut off by Erik's tackle. The boy winced as he threw himself at the bruised man. Loren's face was covered in black and blue bruises that Zoey would panic over.

"Don't you dare say that! What is she going to say when she finds out you distinctly came into my room and attacked me?"

Loren only smirked in response.

"She won't be mad. She'll know that I did it for her, because I have. I'm tired of seeing her get upset over you. I just want her to be happy. You can't give her what she needs. You don't love her like I do."

"You don't have the proof to say that." Erik hissed and then sucker punched Loren.

"Hell yes I do. Your current actions are proof enough. I see through your façade. You have the majority of girls fooled at this school. They all look at Zoey and think that she is the criminal but she's not, she's the victim. She loved you, but you tried to control her and she doesn't like that. Now you stalk her and force kisses on her. If she couldn't pull at your heart strings with her pain I think that it would be safe to say that you would ignore her protests and have your way with her."

Erik was enraged by what he was hearing. So much that kneed Loren in the chest and then scraped his hard nails down the man's cheek, drawing blood. Loren didn't wince. He had been through so much worse. This was nothing compared to war, this was more like training camp with new recruits.

"Stay away from Zoey." Loren growled once he regained control of the situation.

Loren lifted Erik up by his neck and choked the boy against the wall.

"I know about the mirror. I know everything. I would love to kill you right now, but My Love would never allow it. I don't want her to think me a monster."

"You are a monster. Look at yourself. You've got me by my neck against a wall."

"I'm not a monster. Not any more. This is to protect her because I know you'll only continue to hurt her. Right now, I'm releasing everything she has ever wanted to do to you since the night you discovered her and my love affair. I know her pain. I feel her pain. This is _our _pain."

Loren's veins looked as if they were going to burst through his face and neck. He was so angry with the boy. He had killed before and he had hurt people, but he hadn't cared about people then. Erik had a heart and a soul: that's what made the situation worse. Erik could care about things and Erik could love things. Erik could be good and he could work through this problem with Zoey and move on if he decided to. Sometimes having the choice to be better makes things harder because you don't have the excuse of not caring.

"Stay away from Zoey, and whatever you have going on with that mystery guy that you got the mirror from, just drop it. Leave Zoey out of this, she has enough to deal with as it is.

Loren released Erik and then promptly left the room. Erik was on his hands and knees on the floor gasping for air.

_I deserved that._ Erik thought to himself as he panted heavily.

He shook violently as he got to his feet. He ached like never before. He really shouldn't mess with soldiers; it was a good way to get him killed. He limped into his bathroom and turned on the sink. He splashed his face with water and then looked into the mirror. It was almost like the bruises resembled his wrongs. They covered his skin so that he couldn't forget them, but then with a little magic healing they could be artificially forgotten. _Just like always._

Erik called the school nurse on the late shift, knowing that it would be odd to be getting a call from a teacher. Of course he could give her his benefits package if she found it troubling to be giving her services to a teacher at this hour. That always seemed to work.

When Loren was inspecting his own damage in his own mirror he saw that he wasn't too beat up. The nurse wouldn't be required. He would wear his bruises and scars proudly as he always had when he was in the war. This was a war of a different kind though. As cheesy as it sounded, it was a war of love. That song had to be so freaking right, love is a battlefield.

He would fight for and defend his princess. He loved Zoey more than he had ever loved anyone or anything in his entire life. He was glad to finally have put Erik in his place. Now all Erik had to do was stay there.


	14. The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry that it took me so long to update. Life right now is well… let's just say I've had a rough patch. The good thing was that I was caught in a book: The Heist Society by Ally Carter. I hadn't felt like writing… I was just too sad. I was dealing with a broken heart. Someone got inside the walls I spent the past year building up, things went wrong and they just fell. I had to take time off to deal with it. So I'm really sorry about the wait. I'm a lot better now so hopefully I go back to my normal updating pace. **

Chapter Fourteen

_The World is Not a Pleasant Place to Be_

Zoey woke the next morning to the sound of the other girls in the room sleeping. They were lucky that they could sleep so peacefully. The sun was in the process of setting, and Zoey didn't feel like staying inside anymore. It was Saturday and so she was free all night. Loren was still asleep: she could feel his serenity and so she would not visit him until he was awake.

The halls were quiet when Zoey passed through them on her way outside. She had stopped by her room to change into her running clothes. She needed to go for a run to get her mind off things. She couldn't go far from the school but she could at least feel like she was escaping. No matter how hard she tried something always brought her back to the House of Night. Just like gravity, her friends, her lover, and her problems drew her back to the house. She would take pleasure in the feeling of escaping, for her chances of running with her burdens were so few.

Once she was outside she pulled her hood up to conceal her identity as much as she could. There were times that she wished that she could be invisible. Being the High Priestess was never easy because everyone looked to her in times of crisis, but for now the majority of the student body wished that she would disappear. Her friends loved her and that was enough to keep her going. Loren adored her. Her boyfriend worshiped her. She had never loved anyone more than she loved him. Though those factors were great comforts, nothing settled her more than the fact that Grandma Redbird was just a phone call away.

She began to run across the campus and let her thoughts flow freely through her mind. She was locking A-ya away. She would find a way to keep the unwanted woman under her thumb. She knew that Loren wanted to help her with her problems, but she couldn't lay this burden down on him, it was too great for him to bear. Though, she knew very well that it was too great for her to bear alone.

Feelings took time to become clear. There was nothing easy about the sense of uneasiness that surged throughout her body. As she ran she thought about the pair of eyes that she had seen in passing. Those large dark orbs that watched her every move sent shivers down her spine. It would have been too easy to give into their seduction. Giving up was easy. Life was harder. She continued to run, and did not turn her eyes to the side in fear that the eyes would reappear.

As she ran she focused on her breathing, which seemed to be the only constant in her ever-changing world. She wished that Nyx would appear before her and guide her. For only Nyx could take away the pain of her burdens. Once she was out of breath she bent forward and placed her hands on her knees. She let the world spin as she tried to catch up. Everything was moving, but she was standing still. The world was not a pleasant place to be. The thought caused her to think of the poem.

_The world is not a pleasant place_

_To be without_

_Someone to hold and be held by_

_A river would stop_

_Its flow if only_

_A stream were there_

_To receive it_

_An ocean would never laugh_

_If clouds weren't there_

_To kiss her tears_

_The world is not_

_A pleasant place to be without_

_Someone_

Nikki Giovanni was a genius. Somehow, the poem spoke to her soul. For she knew that without her friends, her grandmother, or her boyfriend the world would be so much colder. She lowered herself to her knees and then pulled back her hood. Zoey stared out into the night and search for stars that would guide her.

With another breath she became one with her surroundings. She was no longer a panting figure painted against the backdrop that the universe set before her to be a stage and witness to her life. Her eyes focused on the distant figure, but she did not move. She was not afraid. Her breathing steadied as the figure came closer to her. Everything was silent except the sound of the shadows footsteps. Her eyes closed for a moment, shielding her sight from her quick approach. A-ya was struggling inside of her to get free and reach the figure, but Zoey was in control.

"A-ya." The figure whispered in a tone that reminded her of velvet.

She sat on her heels and waited for contact. Just when she expected it, his hand cupped her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw the great being before her.

"Kalona." She whispered, showing neither pleasure nor repulsion.

The man smiled at her and then motioned for her to stand. Zoey did not comply, but only continued to exist.

Kalona stared down at the girl and waited. Finally, she did stand but on her own will.

"Why don't you listen to me, A-ya?" Kalona asked.

Zoey smiled with her eyes more than her lips. She knew how to play games, and Kalona was no different than Erik, at least mentally.

"Because, I am not A-ya. I am Zoey, a fledgling and High Priestess."

Kalona gave her a questioning look but she only continued to exist and nothing more.

"But A-ya- "

Zoey cut him off. She would not take being called by the woman who possessed her.

"Zoey, and nothing more."

"Come with me, Zoey."

He extended his hand to her and then smiled. Zoey pushed his hand away and laughed.

"No. I do as I please." She chimed as she reached back and let her hair loose from her ponytail.

"Stubborn aren't you?" Kalona laughed.

Zoey crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side.

"Whether I am or am not is not of your business."

Kalona was shocked by the composure of the woman before him. He reached out to touch but did not give her a chance to pull away. A-ya loved him and so this woman would as will in time. No one could resist him. He held Zoey tightly to his bare chest and then forced her head up so that she could not turn away. She struggled in his hold and tried to fight him, but it was no use.

His lips lowered to hers with heated passion. Zoey wanted to scream. She wanted to run. Her serenity had been compromised and now she fell into a gasping hole of panic. She beat against his chest and pushed against him. The man continued to kiss her, not caring that Zoey did not return the kiss. He would find a way to make her kiss him back.

After several attempts at seduction Kalona gave up and released Zoey. She stumbled backwards and stared at him with hatred.

"I'm leaving, now." She huffed.

"You'll be back." He snickered in reply.

The fallen angel watched the lovely woman run away from him. She did not look back, nor did she run towards the girls' dorm.

_Where could she be off to? _Kalona thought to himself. He waited before he began to follow Zoey Redbird. He wanted to know her. No. he needed to know her.


	15. Shadows

**Hey everyone! I'm so so so sorry that it took me so long to write this. I currently have been in one of my reading moods where I don't have any desire at all to write and only want to read. This chapter frustrated me at first because I thought I was losing ideas for the plot, but then I got some more. So I have some super good news!**

**Myvampfiction has asked me to publish this story on their website. I am going to start doing that soon. I just have to get my friend to help me with a proxy server for the sight because I'm having problems with it. **

**I'm back in my writing mood again. This is also my longest chapter. So yay! Enjoy! **

Chapter Fifteen

_Shadows over the Interrupted Moments of Serenity_

Zoey opened the door to Loren's room, careful to not wake him. She had thought that he was asleep, but to her surprise he was sitting on the edge of his bed. As if in a daze, he stared at the door and waited. His intense expression changed when he saw Zoey slip behind the door and lock it.

"Morning, Love." He whispered in the darkness and then stood to greet her.

She didn't respond right away, for her eyes had fallen upon the scars along his face. He approached her with a smile and then searched her eyes for the reason for her silence.

"Zoey?" He asked, now worried by her stillness.

"What happened?" She murmured as she lifted her hard to caress the scars on his face. "You're hurt."

He took her hand that was on his face and dragged it across his lips. He placed light kisses on her skin and then stared into her eyes.

"I was in a fight." He explained as he continued to kiss her fingers.

He listened to Zoey's sharp intake of breath and then waited for her to calm herself.

"With who?" She asked, now angry at whoever had scarred her lover.

"You'll kill me if I tell you."

"I would never."

He studied her face while he debated whether to tell her or not.

"Erik." He admitted with shame drip from his voice.

Zoey didn't pull away. If anything, she surprised Loren by wrapping her arms around his middle.

"What were you two fighting over?" She asked innocently.

"You. I was tired of him hurting you. I couldn't just stand by and let him hurt you."

She stood on her tiptoes and then pressed her soft lips to his hard ones. He breathed life into her and then began to lead her further into the room. She summoned the elements as they kissed and took pleasure in them healing the scars on his body. Once she was finished she sent them away and then felt him smirk against her mouth.

"Shower." He whispered as he pulled at her sweatshirt.

She pulled back from the kiss and then eyed his body.

"Mhmmm. Go get the water running, baby." She moaned and then reached behind him and smacked his butt.

Loren was pleased with her confidence. He would not deny her command.

Kalona stood in the shadows. He was cloaked by darkness but could see A-ya's body clearly. He watched her dress in the bedroom and longed to touch. The man who came out of the bathroom, his torso bare, and took Zoey in his arms. This man repulsed Kalona.

_Who is this man? _Kalona thought to himself.

Kalona stared through the shadows at the newly cleaned woman sitting on the man's bed. Her legs dangled carelessly over the side and her fingers gently held the sheets below her. A man sat beside side her, and fit to the angle that Zoey was sitting in. He held a brush in his hand and was gently running it through Zoey's long thick hair.

"Something on your mind, love?" Loren asked Zoey as he placed a light kiss on her clothed shoulder.

"A-ya." Zoey whispered, and said nothing more.

Loren finished brushing Zoey's hair and then wrapped his arms around her.

"Everything is going to be all right, love. Everything is going to be all right." Loren hushed his girlfriend who was losing herself in worry.

"She can take control, Loren." Zoey whispered as she sought out Loren's hand.

"You're strong, Zoey. No one can control you. You're you. It's you're body. You're stronger than her." Loren would do anything to comfort her.

He knew that Zoey was afraid of losing control. She feared that A-ya would take control of her body and that she would have no say in what she did.

"But Kalona." She whimpered the evil man's name.

"Hush, Love. I won't let him hurt you."

Zoey wished that those words had calmed her, but she was afraid. Her encounter with Kalona had all be her guard at work. She wasn't sure that she could act that way at each encounter.

"A-ya." An unwanted voice called to her.

Zoey couldn't control herself. She wanted to go to that voice. She rose from her place and walked towards the door.

"Kalona." She murmured as she reached for the doorknob.

She opened the door and there stood the fallen angel.

"Zoey!" Loren yelled as the other man smiled deviously.

"Kalona." Zoey whispered again.

Kalona lowered his lips to Zoey's who welcomed his hard mouth. The moment that their lips touched, Zoey fell out of her trance and gasped.

"Kalona! What? How? Go!" Zoey panted out all at once as she fell back on the floor.

Loren ran to her and wrapped his girlfriend up in his arms.

"I'll be back for you, Zoey, my A-ya." Kalona whispered as he returned to the shadows.

Loren held the love of his life in his arms. She was crumpled in a ball on the floor, not caring what she looked like. He held her until she had no more tears to cry. The crying lasted for an hour, and each tear pulled harder at his heartstrings. When she was finished sobbing she looked up at him, and found the familiar face of her lover.

She stared deeply into his heart melting eyes that she always lost herself in so easily. Her hand slid up his neck until it cupped his cheek and then motioned for him to lower his face to hers. Their lips met in a kiss of compassion. Loren wanted to heal her as she had healed him. Zoey was the cure to everything that pained him, and he wanted to be the same for her. He would give himself to her in whatever way she needed him. There was nothing that he could deny this wonderful woman that had chosen him to be hers.

His arms encircled her and held her close to his body. She was so warm and full of love that he found it hard to contain himself. Zoey's legs found their way around Loren's waist and she began to move her body against his. He left a trail of wet hot kisses along her neck as he writhed under her. Loren began thrusting his hips to meet Zoey's as she grinded against him. Pleasure surged through the both of them, and created the feeling of desire.

"Zoey, I need you." Loren groaned as his lower self fought to be free.

Zoey caught on quickly and reacted by reaching down to caress her lover's manhood through the cloth. Loren groaned again and then began to whispered heated profanities in Zoey's ear, which made her blush profoundly.

Just as Zoey was about to undo the button on Loren's trousers, her phone began to ring.

"Ignore it." Loren whispered huskily as he continued to suck on her neck.

She obeyed his command and then shut her eyes. She lost herself in the feeling of Loren surrounding her and his affections. There was something just so intimate about not seeing him as he touched her. She was under him now and she could feel only him even though she was pressed into the floor. His hot breath covered her face, and then his lips attacked hers.

Her phone began to ring that annoying song "shut up and let me go". She reluctantly got up knowing that the caller wouldn't stop if she didn't answer soon.

"Heath…bad timing…" Zoey sighed into the phone.

"Zo! What happened?" Heath exclaimed as she plopped down on the floor.

Loren thought about going over to her, but he knew better. She was dealing with the human, and so she just needed to be alone.

"Heath, I really don't want to talk…"

"Zo, you sound upset. What's going on? Why can't I feel you?"

"I imprinted with someone else."

"WHO?"

"Calm the frick down." Zoey groaned and then slumped against the wall.

"Who, Zoey? Just tell me damn who."

"My boyfriend." She sighed and then looked across the room at Loren who was now putting on a shirt.

"Erik! No I hate that son of a –"

"Don't worry it's not Erik." She cut him off and then waited for a reaction.

"So if you and Erik aren't together, then who are you with?"

Zoey wasn't sure how to respond at first. She didn't know how she could explain all that Loren was.

"Loren Blake." She answered simply. "He's… well… amazing. I love him more than I thought was possible to love someone. He's _much_ older than me."

"Well it looks like I'm going to meet him because I'm waiting outside your office. One of your friends is coming to get you.'

"All right. See you soon."

Zoey shut the phone, and then let out an exaggerated sigh. She lowered her head into her hands and then just existed. Loren walked over to her and then squatted in front of her.

"Love, tell me what's on your mind." He whispered as he stroked her hair.

"We're going to my office. We have company."

"But it's the weekend. I had a whole day planned…"

"Oh, baby, I'm sorry, I hope it won't take long. You're so sweet."

Loren nuzzled his head against hers and then began to tickle his girlfriend. Her laughing brought a smile to his face, and was surprised when she fought back.

"No one tickles me and gets away with it!" She squealed as she reached for his sides and returned the favor.

The couple rolled around on the floor laughing. That was until a knock came to the door.

"Priestess, I have come to tell you that you have a visitor. A human has come to speak with you." Darius announced.

Zoey grabbed Loren's hand and then bounded for the door.

"Good morning, Darius, I'm sorry to pull you out of Aphrodite's bed."

"It's quite all right, Priestess. She is sound asleep and so I will return to her after your meeting has concluded."

That was typical for Darius. He loved his girlfriend dearly, but he knew his duty as well. He kept a close eye on his High Priestess, not just because of what she was, but because he cared about Zoey.

When they arrived at her office Darius opened the door for the couple and followed them inside. There, in front of her desk, sat Heath. Zoey couldn't find it in her heart to meet his eyes. Loren walked with Zoey to greet the human, and then kissed her hand once they were before Heath.

"Good evening. Heath." Zoey greeted her ex boyfriend.

"Zo." Heath pulled the girl into his arms despite her protests.

She looked over at Loren and Darius and gave them a look that told them both to play it cool. She knew that they had tensed when Heath grabbed her, but they didn't know him like she did.

"I'd like you to meet my boyfriend. Loren." She announced with a smile when she pulled back from the hug.

She extended her hand towards Loren, who had stepped to the side, but now quickly returned to his lover. He took hold of her small dainty hand and then brought it to his lips again.

"Good evening, Heath." Loren greeted the human, who was staring at him intently.

"Zo, how much older is he? You made it sound like he was really old."

The two vampyres and fledgling let out a chuckle due to the human's comment.

"Let's put it this way." Loren chuckled as Zoey put a hand on her chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I've been around for a few centuries."

Heath looked greatly bothered by the fact that his sweet Zo, whom he still thought of as innocent, was involved with a man that was so much older than her.

"He takes good care of me, Heath." Zoey reassured the nervous looking human.

The words didn't calm him though, he still was angry about the broken imprint.

"But he broke our imprint!" Heath accused as he pointed a finger at Loren.

"I chose it." Zoey murmured as Loren lowered his head down to press a kiss to her temple.

"Heath." She whispered. "You need to go back home. I've been trying to tell you for so long that we can't be together. We're not imprinted anymore, and so there isn't a reason for you to stick around or feel obligated to stay. Just go home, Heath. You're safe at home."

"But I don't want to go home." Heath protested as he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted.

He reminded Zoey of a small child. He looked like the Heath she had first met when they were younger.

"Too bad, you're going home, Heath."

"I am not! We are going to work this out! We can make this work!"

"It can't work, Heath! Why can't you see that? I'm a fledgling! I'm the High Priestess. You're human, and to me you would be nothing more than a consort."

"I'll take what I can get. I'll be you're consort. I'll be anything that you want me to be, Zo."

Zoey studied Heath's facial expression. It was so pained and desperate.

"Do you know how pathetic that sounds?" She asked as she tried to steady her breathing.

"I don't care. I'll do anything for you, Zo."

She crossed her arms over her chest and tried to collect herself. Loren took a step back and let her have her own space.

"This is exactly why we are not good together. You don't even bother to stop and think about your well being when it involves me. You don't know what you're fighting for. You don't know what you'd have to put up with. It's not safe for you to be with me."

"And so it's safe for the old geezer to be with you. Which, by the way, is really disturbing."

"Yes, it's safe for him to be with me. He's a vampyre, and he knows how to support me. My relationship with him is deeper than you could understand. I don't have to explain all of this to you. It's not like I called you to come here."

"It's not like you have forced me out."

"It's not like you've given me much of a choice."

The two stared at each other for who knows what amount of time. Heath would continue to fight for her, but what he didn't understand was why Zoey had replaced him. He loved Zoey and was willing to die for her, but she wouldn't accept his proposals.

"Come now." Darius murmured as he put a hand on Heath's shoulder. "It's time for you to leave, for there is no reason for you to further stress the Priestess."

Loren guided Zoey over to her chair and had her sit down as Darius escorted the human out of the building. He watched her movements carefully and waited for any sign of recognition. Zoey didn't speak, nor did she smile. She simply just existed as she lost herself in memories. He waited there beside her, knowing that the plans that he had for today were now ruined.

After what seemed like ages Zoey finally made a noise of recognition.

"Loren." She murmured as she played with his hand that was in her lap.

He studied her face and then smiled, which caused a smile to appear upon her own face.

"Yes, baby." He replied as he prepared to give her his gift earlier than he planned.

"I love you, and I'm so sorry for all of these interruptions. I hope that you are not upset with me. I know that you had the whole day planned. Please don't be angry with me."

Loren couldn't help but laugh. He could never be angry with Zoey; she was just too magnificent to be angry with.

"I'm not angry, Beautiful. I love you, so much. Now let's forget about all of this and get down to the good stuff. I have a present for you."

Her eyes filled with curiosity at the mention of a present. She was so innocent sometimes. The mention of a gift from him made her eyes light up like a child's would on Christmas morning.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a little black box. It was from Mauboussin. He opened the little box and revealed a platinum ring with small diamonds on the sides and a huge amethyst.

"I know it's not time yet to ask for what you probably think I am doing. And I'm right, it is too early, even if I would love that wish to come true at this very moment." Zoey was lost in her lover's molten eyes that bore into her soul.

He lowered himself into a kneeling position.

"I love you, Zoey, more than you will ever know. In this short time that we have known each other you have managed to make me forget about all my self-loathing and you made me realize that I could be good if I wanted to. You've taught me to love, and given me the great gift that anyone could ever receive. You. I want to give you something that represents my love for you. Though this ring is not nearly as beautiful as you, I'd call it a diamond in the rough. Well it's an amethyst, but I think you get what I'm trying to say. I want this ring to be a promise to you, so that you never have to worry about me wanting anyone else. By you wearing this ring you are accepting my promise of myself to you. So Zoey Redbird, will you accept my ring and promise to be yours until you see me again on one knee asking to be more than just us, but to be wed for eternity?"

Zoey was speechless. She couldn't believe what Loren was doing. In her head she was screaming yes, but her body was just so excited that it took her a moment to react.

"Yes! Yes, I accept. Oh, Loren, my sweet lover, I am yours as well, and on that day that you do lower yourself to a single knee once again, I will be happy to accept."

Loren slipped the ring on his angel's finger, and then wrapped her up in his arms.

"I love you." She whispered in his ear.

"Always."

**Hey by the way, the ring is from Mauboussin. It is the Guelule d'Amour ring. It's sooooooo pretty! Well thanks for reading. Please leave a review. It will inspire me to write more! **


	16. Alone at Last

**Hey everyone! Sorry it took so long! I've been busy as a bee! I swear I came back from spring break and I'm already overloaded with work. I'll try my best to update when I can. Right now I'm in a good place with my novel so I haven't really been working on my fanfictions, but alas here is a romantic chapter. I hope you enjoy! **

Chapter Sixteen

_Alone at Last_

A table was set on a cobblestone indoor patio somewhere near the outskirts of town. Loren stood behind his darling girlfriend who was seated. He made quick work of removing Zoey's blindfold. A gasp escaped her lips as she took in her surroundings. Loren had brought her to a beautiful home. She was sitting on the patio of a cobblestone home. There was a lit walkway off in the distance and a garden that wouldn't bloom until spring. The place was breathtaking. She glanced back at the patio and saw the candles and flowers on the ground. She thought that she would shiver but then she felt a rush of warm air. The patio was heated. She looked at the French double doors that led back to the house that were open and was blown away by what she saw inside. Whoever lived here was an excellent interior designer.

Loren walked inside to fetch their lunch. He knew that Zoey was extremely confused about where they were; he could feel it. When he returned with two plates full of food he set them down carefully and then returned inside to retrieve the wine. When he retuned to the patio he set down the bottle of wine and two wine glasses on the table. Skillfully, he uncorked the wine and then poured the wine, in what Zoey thought as one fluid motion.

"Who lives here?"

She asked as Loren seated himself across from her. He looked so handsome dressed in his slacks and deep purple button down. His raven colored hair was slicked back so that she could see his face. She had always known, but it really just hit her at the very moment that Loren was a man and not a boy. He didn't look like the males that she went to class with. No. He was so much better. He was absolutely breathtaking. He was make-your-panties-wet gorgeous. A knowing smile crossed his lips, which caused Zoey's cheeks and her heart race. She felt like a schoolgirl on her first date.

Loren reached across the table and took his girlfriend's small hand in his.

"This is mine. I bought it for summers and to have a place to escape to when the House of Night seems overwhelming."

He ran his fingers gently over hers and waited for a response. Zoey seemed extremely lost in thought. He whished that he could hear the thoughts that were buzzing through her brilliant mind.

"It's lovely."

She whispered with a smile on her lips.

"Thank you, my dear. I was hoping that you would. You're free to come here whenever you like."

Blush continued to flood her cheeks, which caused Loren to chuckle. Zoey's eyes fell to the plate before her. Her smile seemed to widen at the Panini and homemade chips on her plate.

"My personal chef made them. I thought you might like this."

Zoey reached for a half of the Panini and then took a bite. She smiled, again making Loren laugh.

After they finished their lunch Loren rose from his seat and walked inside to turn on the stereo so that it was loud enough to be heard out on the patio. He returned to see his beloved Zoey smiling him. Gracefully, he approached her and then offered her his hand.

"Care to dance, my sweet angel?"

Ever so daintily, she placed her hand in his and then rose from her seat. He pulled her into the proper position, holding her to him with a hand on her back and the other holding her hand. She rested her head on his chest and his head rested on top of hers. They swayed to the music as the danced around the patio. Everything felt so right in that moment. Her small soft figure fit perfectly to his larger hard one. It was as if she were made for him. He breathes in her scent and then buries his face into her hair.

"I wish that every moment could be as perfect as this." Zoey whispered as she looked up at Loren.

He lowered his face to hers and let their lips brush ever so slightly.

"Every moment that you are in is perfect." He whispered against her lips.

The kiss was gentle and full of love. Their holds on each other tightened when Zoey breathed into Loren's mouth. The sound that escaped her lips, that soft moan due to Loren's touch, set him on fire. The kiss became passionate and soon they were touching.

"Take me inside, Loren. Drink my wine that you desire. I know what it does to you. Then, when you are satisfied, make the sweetest love to me that you know of."

All of this poured from her lips into his ears in a husky whisper. Desire oozed from her words. She didn't just _want_ him. She _needed _him.

He didn't waste any time getting the two of them inside. He shut the doors behind him and then searched for Zoey. She was lounging on the sofa, the shoulder of her dress along with her bra had fallen over her shoulder. He nearly pounced on her, but at the lost second he regained control. He pushed the fabric of her dress down further to expose her breast, then he took his thumbnail and cut a thin line into her skin. The blood struck him and made him incapable of forming a coherent thought.

His mouth descended upon the blood and he lost himself in her coppery wine. Her sounds of pleasure only encouraged him to drink further. Zoey's hand stroked his hair as he drank. It brought her such great pleasure to fill him as she was now. His lips on her skin made her moan, for she was falling into a pit of unbearable pleasure as he drank her in.

Once he had had his fill he sealed the cut and looked up at her with famished eyes. His fingers quickly undid the buttons of his shirt and then his thumb slid across his chest, cutting the skin and letting the blood flow. He didn't have to tell her what to do. Her mouth descended upon the blood with elegance. He pulled her closer as she drank. One of his greatest pleasures was giving himself over to her in this way. Only Zoey could drink his wine and only she could see him so vulnerable. Loren was gasping now. There was something different about the way that Zoey was acting. It was so much more sensual about the way that her lips moved as she drank. He was at the point where he couldn't bare to not be inside of her.

"Zoey." He gasped when she sealed his wound.

He didn't have to say anything. She already knew what he wanted.

Skin to skin and heart to heart is how the pair laid. Loren had pulled out pillows for them to lean on and blankets to keep them warm. Their legs were tangled together under the sheets and they were lost in each other's embrace. Everything was perfect and nothing could ruin this feeling. Loren ran his fingers through Zoey's hair as she look up at him. There was so much love in her eyes that he couldn't help but smile. Zoey was his soul mate and no one could ever change that.

Outside in the dark stood the fallen angel. He looked into the house through the windows. Anger boiled within him at the sight of the couple lying together after making love. He wanted more than anything to make love to that woman. The vampyre had no right to touch her. He wasn't worthy of her. He needed a plan. He needed a way to lure her away from the man.

"I know just what to do." Kalona said in a Grinch-y voice as he smiled a smile that could scare souls out of a grave.

He faded into the shadows and escaped into the night. His laughter could be heard through the hills and the streets of the sleepy town. Those who didn't know better would have mistaken him for the devil at the sound of his guffaws. Who's to say that they're wrong?

**So, what did you think? How about clicking that little green button and telling me? Dedicated readers and reviews are perfect motivation to get me to write another chapter soon. **


	17. Love Song for a Vampyre

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry for the long wait. I have a couple of announcements to make. **

**One I was busy prepping my presentation for my interview to get into AP 3D art, which I got into. **

**Second order of business, I have hit a gold mine in ideas for my novel so I was busy typing away at my keyboard and filling out more pages of Painting Portals. **

**Third order of business, VERY IMPORTANT: a beloved fan of mine artimisluna and I have teamed up and are co-writing a story. We just posted the first chapter of our story under the account name ArtimisVines. The story is titled Against All Odds. It is rated M for future lemons. It is a Zoey and Kalona story. I want to take a minute to thank Justine my new co-writer for teaming up with me. I truly look forward for creating more of our story with you. **

**Now that all the business is taken care of, on with the story! **

Chapter Seventeen

_Love Song for a Vampyre _

The rest of their evening had been spent dancing and relaxing. Zoey rarely had this kind of relaxation because of all the interruptions. She was having quite a good time with her loving boyfriend who was perfect in every way. As he twirled her to the music he laughed as she giggled at her own grace.

"You're quite good." Loren commented as he pulled her back into the circle of his arms.

"Only because I have a great teacher." She chimed as Loren continued to guide her around the room in the dance.

"Have had many years to learn." There wasn't a doubt in Zoey's mind that that was true.

Loren watched Zoey move with grace as they parted again. She was lost in the music and let the melody carry her back to him.

"So, my love, shall I entice you in another glass of wine?" Loren asked when the song ended.

"Oh I would love some." Zoey said with a smile.

He led her to the kitchen where he had moved the wine and glasses to. Ever so gracefully, he poured them each an after dinner glass. The hours had passed so quickly. Though the night didn't have to end apart. They were away in his secluded home.

Zoey put the glass to her lips. The wine tasted wonderful, but nothing tasted as wonderful as Loren. As if he had read her mind he leaned in to place a tender kiss to her lips. She moaned into the kiss, almost as if his succulent taste and heart melting beauty pained her. They both set their wine glasses down and engulfed themselves in the kiss. His hand rested on her arm as his other arm circled around her back. She clutched the fabric of his shirt in one hand as the other snaked into his hair.

"If only everyday we could do this undisturbed." Loren groaned as Zoey pulled on his hair, dragging his face closer to hers.

Zoey wanted his body closer. She needed his manhood. She never thought that she would ever need sex. She had only thought that she would want it. She had just made love to him a few hours ago and she was ready for him again.

"Our luck isn't that good." She moaned.

"Are you sure about that?" He chuckled as he hiked her leg around his hip.

He didn't give her time to answer. She gasped at his hard bulge. She was the girlfriend of a sex God.

Erik sat in his room waiting for Kalona to arrive. A note had been left for him to tell him they would be meeting. A sickening feeling churned in his stomach as he waited for the sounding footsteps to approach his door. The fallen angel did not need to be let in to enter. He had some sort of power that was strong than the building's defenses. The fallen angel materialized before Erik and stretched his raven black wings.

"Good evening, Erik." Kalona chuckled as he ran his fingers through his thick black hair.

"Evening. You needed my assistance?"

"Yes, we have a situation. She's learning to fight A-ya."

"I'm confused Kalona. I thought we were fighting for different people. I only agreed because you told me I would get Zoey back."

"You will if your patient. I share."

"I don't."

"Your committed now. So suck it up."

What else could Erik do? Zoey wouldn't come willingly. Maybe he could use Kalona and turn the tables on the fallen angel.

"You're right. Forgive me for my questioning." This convinced Kalona and pleased him greatly.

"Already forgiven. Now listen closely. Zoey and her repulsive boyfriend are at his secluded home near the edge of town. I need you to go and make some trouble for me. I'll be not far behind but I need to take care of some business before I face them again."

Erik had no idea that Blake had another home besides the House of Night. It disturbed him to think of Zoey alone with Blake away from the house with no one to rescue her if things got bad.

"I know just what to do."

"Good. Work your magic."

After the pair had made love again Loren gave her some more comfortable clothes for her to change into that he had bought for her. She wore a short pair of silk sleep shorts and a silk sleeveless sleep shirt. She wore a matching translucent lingerie jacket. Her hair was gathered on one side and spilled over her shoulder. She sat on the piano that was in Loren's living room and listened to him play. His fingers could do wonders; even make music amongst the keys of ebony and ivory. He sang to her as he played. He had the voice of an angel.

She knew that this song was just for her for he had told her that he was dedicating it to her before he began. The words poured out from his lips and filled her mind and she understood the meaning of the song.

"Belief makes things real.

Makes things feel, feel all right.

Belief, makes things true.

Things like you, you and I.

Tonight, you arrested my mind.

When you came to my defense.

With a knife in the shape of your mouth,

In the form of your body, with the wrath of a god.

Oh, you stood by me, Belief.

Builds from scratch.

Doesn't have to relax, it doesn't need space.

Long live the queen and I'll be the king.

In the collar of grace.

Oh, tonight, you arrested my mind.

When you came to my defense.

With a knife in the shape of your mouth,

In the form of your body, with the wrath of a god.

Oh, you stood by me, belief.

I'm gonna yell it from the rooftops.

I'll wear a sign on my chest.

That's the least I can do, it's the least I can do.

Tonight you arrested my mind.

When you came to my defense.

With a knife, in the shape of your mouth,

In the form of your body, with the wrath of a god.

Tonight you arrested my mind.

When you came to my defense.

With a knife in the shape of your mouth,

In the form of your body, with the wrath of a god.

Oh, you stood by me.

And I'll stand by my belief.

I will stand by mine…

I will stand by mine…

Belief…

Like you stood by me, I will stand by mine, stand by my belief…"

Zoey was crying by the time the song was over. She slid off the piano and curled up by his side on the piano bench.

"Thank you, Loren. That was beautiful." She whispered as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Your welcome. It's how I feel, Zoey. You saved me from everything that I was. You made me want to be good and you have stood by me when I was broken physically and emotionally. You found me when I was lost, and pulled me out of the darkness. You love me with your body, mind, and soul. You shower me with your loving kisses and defend me with all that you are. You helped me find my way. I believe in you, Zoey. I believe in the great things that you can and will do. I believe in your beauty. I believe in your power. I believe in your love and the love that we share. You've given me something to believe in. Nothing I can give can ever amount to what you have given me, Zoey. You have given me myself back. You have given me a heart and so I am no longer the tin man. I can love, and I love thee, Zoey Redbird. You know how I truly do adore you. I will stand by you until the end of time."

Their lips met in a blissful kiss and their arms tangled in embrace. Loren was not done singing to her tonight though. He had another ballad for her. Only this one he hoped she would partake in. He moved his fingers melodiously amongst the keys and Zoey instantly noticed the song before Loren began to sing the first verse.

"My love,

There's only you in my life.

The only thing that's bright."

Zoey replied in song at the appropriate time, as she would each time her part in the duet came. As she sang she put her entire self into the song. Loren never looked at the keys as he played. As she sang to him, and him to her, they stared deeply into each other's eyes.

"My first love,

You're every breath that I take.

You're every step I make."

When their two voices united the sweetest sort of melody filled the room. Never had a more enchanting sound been heard like their voices together joined to be one soul singing.

"And I

(I-I-I-I-I)

I want to share

All my love with you

No one else will do…

And your eyes

Your eyes, your eyes

They tell me how much you care

Ooh yes, you will always be

My endless love.

Two hearts,

Two hearts that beat as one

Our lives have just begun.

Forever

(Ohhhhhh)

I'll hold you close in my arms

I can't resist your charms.

And love

Oh, Love

I'll be that fool

For you,

I'm sure

You know I don't mind

Oh, you know I don't mind.

'Cause you,

You mean the world to me

Oh

I know, I know

I've found in you

My endless love.

Bum, bum

Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum

Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum

Oooh, and love

Oh, Love

I'll be that fool

For you,

I'm sure

You know I don't mind

Oh, you know-

I don't mind.

And, Yes

You'll be the only one

'Cause no one can deny

This love I have inside

And I'll give it all to you

My love

My love, my Love

My endless love."

When the song was over Zoey rested her head on Loren's shoulder. His arm wrapped around her and he let out a sigh of pleasure. This was a perfect moment and not a word had to be said. They just existed and that was all that mattered.

Unfortunately the moment was ruined by the sudden appearance of Erik in the living room.

"Well if it isn't my favorite couple. That was so sweet, you know. Too bad Blake won't live to sing another song with you." Erik laughed darkly.

"How dare you threaten my love!" Zoey yelled as she jumped off the bench and stood in front of Loren.

"It's all right, Angel. Let me handle this. I can beat him again just as easily." Loren coaxed as he rose and then stepped in front of her.

Erik laughed a hardy laugh, which confused the pair.

"I'm not as weak as before."

"We'll see about that." Loren chuckled.

Before Loren could defend himself Erik flew at him, but Zoey was quick. She had already summoned the elements. All the elements of Nyx were thrown at Erik, but what happened next, none of them expected. As if there was a shield around Erik, the elements were thrown back at Zoey in ten fold. A gasp escaped both of the men as Zoey was thrown back against the wall. The dismissal of the elements could be heard faintly slipping from Zoey's lips.

Loren ran to her side and checked the damage. Her skin was burned, she was cut in several places. Bruises lined her body. Luckily nothing was broken. He could feel how much pain she was in, and it sent a rippling pain through him.

"Zoey, sweet Nyx, I'm so sorry. That wasn't supposed to happen. The elements were supposed to be reflected onto Loren so that you would be blamed for his death and you would feel guilty enough to give yourself to souls as lowly as Kalona and I." As Erik spoke he reached for Zoey.

She whimpered and recoiled away from him in fear.

"Haven't you done enough damage?" Loren yelled at Erik as he gathered Zoey into his arms.

She needed medical attention and fast.

"I'm sorry!" Erik yelled.

"Be of some use and call my personal doctor. My cell phone is on the table. His name is Dr. Sampson. Tell him she has severe burns, deep cuts that need stitches, and possible deep tissue bruises. Tell him to come to my home immediately."

Erik made the call that very moment. It was a good thing that doctors made house calls. Loren was doing all he could to treat Zoey until the doctor came. The man was tall and had a pasty complexion. His eyes were bright sky blue orbs and his hair was the color of rich soil, dark brown but almost black.

"Where is she?" Dr. Sampson demanded.

"The bedroom." Erik answered.

The doctor rushed to the room and began his assessment of Zoey and then her treatment.

Loren and Erik had to wait outside the room while Dr. Sampson did the procedure. Loren so scared that he was shaking. Zoey was his everything. He couldn't lose her. She had to live. She had to be ok. He would nurse her back to health, just as she had him. If Zoey died he would impale himself on a sword just as Brutus had. If she left this world and sat at the hand of Nyx, she would take his soul and heart with him, leaving him no reason to stay on earth,

As Loren prayed to Nyx to keep Zoey safe a familiar song popped into his head. Love song for a Vampire by Annie Lennox.

_Come into these arms again _

_And lay your body down _

_The rhythm of this trembling heart_

_Is beating like a drum. _

_It beats for you. It bleeds for you._

_It knows not how it sounds._

_For it is the drum of drums_

_It is the song of songs. _

_Once I had the rarest rose_

_That ever deemed to bloom._

_Cruel winter chilled the bud_

_And stole my flower too soon._

_Oh loneliness, Oh hopelessness _

_To search the ends of time. _

_For there is in all the world_

_No greater love than mine. _

_Love o love o… Still falls the rain. _

_Love o love o… Still falls the night. _

_Love o love o… damned forever._

_Let me be the only one _

_To keep you from the cold. _

_Now the floor of Heaven is laid_

_The stars are bright as gold. _

_They shine for you, they shine for you_

_They burn for all to see. _

_Come into these arms again_

_And set this spirit free. _

Loren had not realized that he was crying. His hand was clenched over his heart for the song was sad enough in itself, but the fact that Zoey was fighting for her life against the damage that had been done, hurt him even more. He prayed that the cruel winter would not steal his flower. He needed her like he needed air. Less than an hour ago they had been singing to one another with love in their hearts. Now she was in critical condition and fighting against the bright light.

Everyone wanted Zoey. They all found a way to hurt her. Kalona had now appeared with a panicked look on his face.

"How is she?" He asked sounding anxious.

"We don't know yet. She's hurt badly." Erik replied for Loren could not find the voice to speak.

"When she finds out how she is, I want the both of you out of my house. I want you both away from Zoey. Look what has happened to her! Do neither of you feel guilty? I know that I do. I should have seen it coming. I could have jumped in front of the blast. Now she's in there, broken, and I can't do a damn thing!" After Loren had finished ranting he slammed his fist against the wall, leaving a dent.

Erik tried to approach him and put his hand on his shoulder. Loren shrugged it off.

"I'm just trying to help." Erik coaxed but Loren growled.

"Help! How can you help? You listen to that forsaken fallen angel! You listen to his lies! You listen to his false promises! You trust that whatever shield he would give you would do as you both planned! If you want to help then leave this place. The same goes for you, Kalona. And when then morning comes again for us, I want you, Erik, to tell Zoey's friends just what happened. The truth. And I want you to tell them where we are, because I know she'll want the people that truly care about her to surround her. She doesn't need the lies and evil that you two carry in your minds and hearts. I have centuries of wrong to make up for and she had shown me how to redeem myself. I will tend to her and help her be strong again, all because I love her."

The two men were silent, for they were shocked by what Loren had said. Never had such truth passed through Kalona's ears. He had not seen such true love in a man and seen the flaming dedication to a woman in a man's eyes, until he looked at Loren. He wasn't sure if he could be that for Zoey, his A-ya. He would make himself that when the time was right, but that time wasn't now.

The doctor came out and began to speak to Loren.

"How is she?" The three men asked the doctor.

"She will be fine. She has deep tissue bruising as Loren had thought, I gave more stitches than I've had to administer in quite some time. As for the burns, I used my powers just as I did on her other injuries, to heal them as much as I could. I treated them just as any other doctor would. I'll run out to get her medication and be back soon with them. I gave her pain medication and applied special burn cream. It's scary when vampyres, even if they are just fledglings, get burned. After all our skin is very sensitive. It's a good thing that I got here when I did. Also, I know because I've treated burn patients before, and because she's a teenager, she'll be self-conscious about the burns all over her body. The ones on her face aren't as bad as the rest. Just try not to stare so that she won't feel as uncomfortable. The best thing you can do is let her rest and make sure she stays in bed. She will probably need to miss school at least Monday and Tuesday. We may heal fast, fledglings not as fast as us, but the burns are the most concerning. Also I gave her blood from your fridge. Luckily, she had her imprinted partners blood in her veins. I could smell it and I'm guess that's you, Loren. All right then, just let her rest. I'll be back in a gif."

The doctor disappeared and the three men headed for the room. Loren stopped Erik and Kalona from entering.

"You can come in if she wants to see you. Otherwise, wait for the doctor to come back and then you can leave."

They didn't argue with him.

Loren hurried into the dark room. In the bed laid Zoey in a pair of fresh pajamas that he had given Dr. Sampson to change her into. He watched her chest rise and fall, and heard her soft breaths.

"Loren." She whispered when she sensed his presence. "Come here. I want to see your face."

He didn't waste a second rushing to her side. He took a seat on the bed beside her and lowered his face an inch away from hers.

"I can see you." She murmured.

"As I can see you."

"I'm hideous." Zoey groaned, referring to the stitches, bruises, and burns.

"No, just temporarily broken. You could never be hideous. You'll always be beautiful, and breath taking, and heart melting, and gorgeous, and perfect."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No, Love, I truly mean it. I would not say words that I do not truly mean."

"I love you, Loren." She whimpered.

"As I love you, Zoey Redbird, My High Priestess, My Love, and my Angel. I'll let you in on a little secret. I get to take care of you. You're on bed rest. I'll spoil you rotten and pamper you."

"Sounds like fun." She cracked a smile, after all her body was numb so it didn't hurt.

Carefully, Loren pressed a chaste kiss to her lips to show her that he still found her attractive even in her condition. She is, and always would be beautiful.

Erik and Kalona sat on the couch in the living room and listened with their excellent hearing to the conversation going on in the bedroom. Kalona did not feel guilty but he hated that Zoey was hurt. Erik, on the other hand, was filled with guilt. He was happy that she would be ok. She would be in a large amount of pain. There was no doubt that Loren would take excellent care of Zoey. She had taken such good care of him. He thought about when people get married, when they say their vows part of what they promise is to love and take care of each other in sickness and in health. Though Loren and Zoey weren't married, they already had nailed that one on the head. They stood by each other when they were weak and strong. When they were wrong and right. They would never have problems with money so for richer or poorer didn't apply, because older vampyres were loaded, and Blake had money. He and Zoey never had what she and Loren had. Erik envied Loren.

"Be patient, Erik." Kalona said in a voice that was laced with dark mischief. "In time, it's all in time."

**Thanks for reading! That was my longest chapter yet! The songs that I used were Belief by Gavin DeGraw, Endless love by Lionel Richie, and Love Song for a Vampire by Annie Lennox. Please leave a review! I would greatly appreciate it! **


	18. A Spoonful of Sugar

**Hey everyone! Sorry for the super long wait. I've had major writers block and just I have been so busy. My co-written story has been a big priority, Against All Odds by ArtimisVines. I just want to give a shout out to all my fans out there. I love you all. I'll try to be good about updates. Runs around frantically: don't hate me for the choppiness. This was written in pieces so, yeah. Don't kill me. Love y'all. Enjoy! **

Chapter Eighteen

_A Spoonful of Sugar_

After the doctor returned with Zoey's medication he left the three men to tend to the girl. Dr. Sampson said that he would return in the evening to check up on Zoey. They left her to rest. As Loren left the room he stared back at his sleeping angel for a prolonged moment. Her chest rose and fell normally and she was stilled with sleep. She was numbed from her pain and all would be well.

He joined the two other men in the living room. A guilty look was stretched across Erik's face. Loren looked absolutely exhausted. Where as Kalona glowed with energy as if none of this affected him.

"Erik you will do as I have asked of you?" Loren asked as he sat down on the couch.

He held his head between his knees and could not bear to look at the two men.

"Yes. And I'll go now to relieve you."

"I will stay and watch over her while you both sleep." Kalona intervened as Erik headed for the door.

Loren's head shot up out of the cradle of his hands.

"You will do no such thing. You are not trustworthy."

"I will watch even when you do not know that I am. There is nothing you can do to stop me."

With that Erik disappeared along side Kalona. There was no argument left to have.

The sun was on the verge of rising. Loren's body ached and he was weary. Exhaustion had consumed him and so he trudged back to the bedroom where Zoey laid. He contemplated getting into bed with her, for she may move around in her sleep and he didn't want to cause her pain when the medication wore off, by touching her. Silently he approached the door and turned the knob. The door creaked slightly as he opened it, but Zoey did not stir. Quickly, he slipped behind the door so that the light from the hallway would not disturb his sleeping angel. She was in the same position that she been when he had left her.

Ever so carefully he climbed into the space that she had left for him to share. Zoey wanted his company even in her sleep, and so he granted her that. As he laid under the covers he stared at the space between them. He did not like not being able to hold her while she slept. It was just as much of a comfort to him as it was to her. His eyes traveled over the skin of her body that was visible. On her arm was a cluster of blue bruises that were layered split down the middle by a line of stitches, and surrounded by a clump of blisters from her burns. He cringed at the thought of the pain that she would be in if it were not for the painkillers and medicine. Despite her injuries Loren still saw his beautiful Zoey in the temporarily damaged body. She was still a marvel to behold. Maybe that's how he knew that he was truly in love with her. Even when ugly bruises and burns hid her beauty, he still saw her as the lovely woman that she truly is. He still loved her irrevocably. Though she was younger than him, they would never have to worry about aging once Zoey completed the change. Even if they were just a normal human couple, he would love her even if she turned old and wrinkly. He would still see the young girl that he fell in love with. She would complete the change in her senior year, most likely. Her looks will have altered slightly by then. He would still love her just as much. She would fill out into a woman.

One day Zoey would be his wife. Though they could not bear children they would make a family of their own. He knew that Zoey wanted children and he would find a way to make that possible for her. He was the luckiest man in the world to get to spend the rest of his life with Zoey Redbird.

Sleep overcame him. He drifted to a world where Zoey rested unharmed. The night ran smoothly and when the night came again, they rose. Limbs were stretched like waking dancers to music. The sheets shifted and eyes fluttered open. Zoey remembered all that had occurred the night before and she was afraid of where she was. Her head was craned towards the nearest wall and she couldn't see the rest of her surroundings. After a quick breath to control herself she sensed Loren beside her. She was happy that he had come to share the bed.

"Loren." She whispered his name as if it were the most precious gold.

He stirred and rolled on his side in sync with the movement of her head turning towards him.

"Good Morning, Love." He whispered with a smile as he reached for her pain medication. He popped out a pill and grabbed the glass of water.

He handed her the pill, which she reluctantly took and drank the water with thanks.

"How are you?" He asked as he lightly stroked her bruised cheek.

"Much better than last night."

That was quite a relief. He could hear the rain outside, which meant that it would be cloudy. He had a few surprises for her today.

"Kiss me, please." Zoey begged as she lifted her hand and placed it on his.

He didn't hesitate to act. His lips pressed slightly against hers, waiting for her to part her lips. When she did part he luscious lips her scent filled him and gave him life. Her lips moved carefully against his and she rested her hand on his neck. Everything about her felt different, but he could still feel the same Zoey in her kiss. She still tasted like Zoey.

"Are you hungry, Beautiful?" Loren asked after they broke from the kiss.

She nodded excitedly. Her stomach was rumbling and she was ready to be fed. She attempted to get out of bed, but Loren stopped her.

"No you don't. You're on bed rest, besides I'm spoiling you. Remember?"

"But I want to help make breakfast."

"I'm treating you to breakfast in bed."

"Thank you, but don't leave me here alone."

He could understand why she didn't want to be left in the bedroom alone. She was still afraid from what happened last night.

"All right. I'll carry you out to the kitchen, but as soon as breakfast is finished I'm carrying you back to bed."

It was a fair compromise, and so Zoey nodded with a smile on her face.

After he made her breakfast he did as he had said he would. He carried her back to bed and reapplied her burn cream.

"You don't have to do that." Zoey reassured him when he began to coat her arms in the cream.

"I want to." He whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

There was a mischievous spark in his eyes. She realized at that moment that it was because her burns covered her entire body and he would touch her wherever the burns were.

As she predicted his hands kept getting lower and touched her in places that ached for him. Unfortunately it was over too soon. The doorbell rang and tucked her under the covers.

"I'll go get the door. Just holler if you need anything."

The moment that he walked away she called for him.

"Loren, I need you to love me."

"I already do that, sweetheart, and you know that we can't do that until your healed."

"But."

"No buts, we have company."

"Who?" Zoey piped up.

That's when Zoey heard the voices. Her friends, including Stevie Rae came pouring into the room. Zoey was ecstatic to see all of her friends. Loren stepped out to let her socialize.

They stayed for a few hours and then let her rest. She needed to sleep to heal.

"She seems better than what Erik had said." Aphrodite commented.

"Yeah, I think you guys coming helped." Loren commented.

"She's asleep now." Damien commented.

"Good, she needs rest."

"You look exhausted. Do you need help taking care of her?" Darius asked as he wrapped his arm around Aphrodite's waist.

"No, I'm fine, but thanks though."

When Zoey woke up Loren was asleep on the bed beside her. The television was on and playing some old black and white film.

"Loren." She chimed.

He jolted awake. "Yes, my love." He answered as she kneeled next to her.

"I was just thinking. Maybe be hurt isn't so bad after all. We can stay in bed all day and I will do whatever you say. We could play doctor and I need some release."

A naughty smirk crossed his face.

"Show me where it hurts." He demanded.

She pushed back the covers and put her hand down in her panties.

"Oh I'll take care of that all right."

It's a good thing that Loren has magical hands.

**Oh and I'm thinking about writing M excerpts for this story. If you think I should leave a review or PM and tell me. And tell me which ones you want to see the most. **


	19. Changing

**Zoey: I hate you, Lauren, you haven't written about me and Loren in forever!**

**Me: I know, I'm so sorry, I just…I just… I lost inspiration**

**Loren: So we're not inspiring enough for you**

**Me: Of course you are, especially you, Loren, if Zoey didn't have you I would take you for myself**

**Zoey: Get back to writing, I'm tired of being burnt like left over BBQ **

**Me: All right, just don't hurt me!**

Chapter Nineteen

_Changing_

When Loren was finished pleasuring Zoey, he smiled down at her for her eyes were slowly closing. He knew that having her friends visit and then what they just did tired her. She fell asleep looking as breathtaking as an angel. He sauntered out into the living room and laid out on the couch. He was tired but happy. He had pleasured Zoey and that was enough to make him feel better. He needed Zoey to get better, everyone needed her to get better, but will alone wouldn't heal her. Today he would have to move her back to the House of Night.

The students needed their high priestess. Soon he too fell asleep. Hours passed and when his eyes opened again there was a figure leaning over her. The creature was absolutely beautiful with a smile that melted his heart.

"Did you sleep well, baby?" Zoey asked, her voice sending shivers down his spine.

"Uh-huh." Loren sleepily replied as Zoey climbed on top of him.

"Good." She murmured as she pressed her lips to his neck.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Loren asked as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I feel better. I don't hurt that much." Zoey whispered as he fisted her hand in his hair and began to leave a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses on his neck.

"That feels good." Loren's voice was raspy.

"Good, you perform best when you feel good."

"You're body isn't ready for that. If we weren't us I'd say we do it too often, but then making love to you is like seeing stars and so I can't help myself."

"Then don't just do it."

"I wish, but we need to get back to school."

"All right then, but will you at least kiss me?"

With a smile he captured her lips and sighed happily. He loved the feel of her soft lips against his. She molded perfectly to him; their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces. Their legs tangled together and they were consumed by one another. His tongue darted into her mouth and battled for dominance. His hand slid up the back of her t-shirt and he felt the scaring for the burns. She was already getting better. He let his hands roam further down, over her butt and down her legs. The scars on her legs were healing quite well. Nyx was healing her.

"Angel, I promise that we can pick up where we left off when we get back to the House of Night, but we need to get out while the night is still young."

Zoey reluctantly agreed and let Loren cradle her in his arms and carry her out to the car.

A few days later…

"Merry meet, merry part, and merry meet again." Zoey chimed as she closed the full moon ritual.

Loren watched from his spot on the wall, staring in wonder at his magnificent girlfriend. She was wonderful and captivating, but when she interacted with the elements and opened herself to Nyx, he couldn't see anyone but her for she was like a star extending its light into the darkest realms of the Earth. The students filed out of the room, leaving her and her circle to put away the decorations. When he was about to approach her, he noticed that someone he didn't recognize was speaking with Zoey. It was a boy, and Zoey had a look of concern on her face. He then realized that the boy was a student. Slowly, Loren approached, acting casual.

"I understand you concern, Finn, thank you for informing me. I'll look into it." Zoey handled the situation properly, which made Loren smile as he waited a few steps away from her. He didn't hear what Finn said, but within moments he was on his way. Loren quickly crossed the distance between them and took Zoey into his arms.

"Great job, tonight." Loren whispered as he placed his lips just an inch from hers.

"Thanks." Blush filled her cheeks.

Then she pressed her lips to his and sighed happily.

"Mhmm, after dinner we're going back to your room." Zoey whispered.

"Oh, yes, that we must." He agreed as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

Zoey cooed in pleasure and held Loren to her. Her stomach started to turn and her muscles tightened. Soon the moans that left her mouth were no longer those of pleasure.

"Loren." She gasped.

He pulled back to look at her and then watched her slump to the ground and double over.

"Zoey!" He panicked and sunk down beside her.

Her circle raced over to her but Damien was the one to act. He ran out with Jack on his tale to go get more of the faculty. Loren's biggest fear was possibly giving true. It was when Zoey's moaning finally stopped that Loren held his breath. There was complete silence and everyone was still.

"It's ok." Zoey murmured. "It's happening."

There was joy in her voice, and Loren could feel that she was no longer in pain. He was only a bit sad that she was changing because their imprint would break. Dragon, Erik, and others burst through the door and made their way around Zoey. Dragon got to her first.

"It's all right, Dragon, she's accepting the change." Loren said, relief event in his own voice.

"Thank Nyx. We need our priestess." Dragon replied.

They all waited silently and when it was over Loren crouched in front of her. He wanted to be the first thing that she saw when she came out of her trance.

Slowly she lifted her head and what Loren saw caused him to gasp. Zoey's face had not only matured, but she was even more beautiful that she already was. Now her crescent moon was filled and her tattoos had finished spreading. She smiled and then took Loren's hand.

"So?" She asked still smiling at him.

"You're perfect." He was breathless.

He took her into his arms, no kneeling with her.

"I love you, Zoey, I love you so much. Thank Nyx that you made it. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't. Everything is going to be extraordinary."

"Everything already is." She replied, squeezing him playfully.

"Come Zoey, it's time for the ritual." Dragon chimed, proud that Zoey had made it through.

She and Loren both rose from the floor, both still smiling, and made their way with the adults towards the back room. She smiled at Erik, catching him off guard, and he smiled back. He then heard Zoey whisper to Loren.

"Our imprint is still intact. Can't you feel it, Honey?"

"Yes, I can." He replied, sounding surprised as ever.

"Everything is going to be different from now on. You're going to be a full time High Priestess." Dragon commented but with a smile on his face.

"I'm ready to face anything." Zoey chimed, giving Loren's hand a squeeze.

When the ceremony was over Loren and Zoey walked out together hand in hand.

"I love you so much, Zoey." He swooned as he stopped her.

He took her into his arms and kissed her full on the mouth.

"I love you, too." She moaned into the kiss as Loren pressed himself against her.

"Zoey, you know you can't live in dorms anymore." He groaned as Zoey tugged on his hair, just the way he liked it.

"I know." She gasped as she felt him harden against her.

"You'll have to live in the teacher apartments."

"I'm ok with that."

"Move in with me?"

Zoey pulled back from the kiss and smiled at him.

"Yes."

He pulled her back to him and kissed her happily. Everything was moving forward and the future was looking bright.

It wasn't until they heard someone clear their throat, causing them to break apart and blush.

"I just wanted to congratulate you, Zoey." Erik bowed his head as he spoke.

"Thank you." Zoey replied.

She could feel Loren's defenses rising.

"Shall we go to dinner now, Love?" Zoey asked while she looked up at Loren.

"Of course, Angel."

All of her friends were ecstatic that Zoey had changed. The only sad part was that she wouldn't be living in the dorms. The vamps had already moved her things into the apartments but they would do their best to see her and stay close when they could. The same thoughts ran through her head, but with a happier aura, as Zoey sat on the bed of her and Loren's apartment. It was strange to think of it as theirs, even though it had felt like her own ever since she started spending the night.

She was dressed in a silk nightgown that fell to the floor. Her hair was brushed to one side over her shoulder. Nervously, she played with the ends of her hair as she waited for Loren to come out of the shower. Tonight he would make love to her like a man truly would to a woman. He wouldn't hold back and it would be the most erotic thing she would ever experience. It was the moment the door opened that she held her breath, for Loren wore nothing. He flicked the lights off and walked over to the bed. Tenderly, he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger and then pressed his lips to hers. As the kiss grew more intense he crawled onto the bed above her. In the blink of an eye he pulled away her clothes, leaving her bare for him. Before he entered Zoey heard the most gorgeous noise, Loren's sigh of appreciation of her body.

"Your tattoos, Zoey, their amazing."

He began by kissing her markings and when Zoey began to rub her legs together with need he lowered his lips to her womanhood, and the erotic passion of their love making began.


	20. The Trouble with Aya

**Hey everyone! It was so thrilling to see all of your views. But really I could use some more reviews. Though I know I don't deserve them because I left you hanging for so long. I want to thank all of you for your dedication because I absolutely adore your support. Thank you for standing by me even when I didn't have an idea in my head. I love you all. So here is chapter 20. Enjoy! **

**P.S. Check out my co-written story, Against All Odds. It is on my joint account, ArtimisVines. It's a Zoey-Kalona story but I think a lot of you would like it. Artimisluna and I have put a lot of hard work and long hours into making that story, and that is why I have been neglecting the trouble with Erik (which, by request has been renamed, and now is called the Trouble with Erik and A-ya). I have been spending my time working on Against All Odds, but I will try harder to publish more of this story. Also if you like Twilight check out my new story, Love Incorporated. **

Chapter Twenty

_The Trouble with A-ya_

When morning passed with the makings of love between the mystical Loren and the magical Zoey, the pair of adult vampyres woke from their slumber. Safe was the perfect word to describe how Zoey felt in this moment. Well there was more than one word and that was perfect. Loren's strong arms secured her through the night. If he didn't have class to teach, they would have spent the entire day in bed. Now she would have to learn the trade of being headmistress for she only understood the part about being the High Priestess.

"Good morning, Beautiful." Loren whispered in Zoey's ear.

She sighed happily and turned over in his arms so that she could stare into his eyes.

"Good morning, Handsome." She murmured as he kissed her newly filled in crescent.

As he held her, he smiled. He thought about how amazing last night had been. He had loved her body before, but now her body was that of a fully blossomed woman. She was a bit taller than before, extended to her full height; her breasts had reached their final size, and she was all sorts of amazing.

"I'm so happy that you're a vampyre now." Loren whispered.

She nuzzled her head against his and then sighed.

"I'm happy, too." She breathed as she smiled at him.

"Do you feel any different? It happened so long ago to me that I don't even remember if I felt different."

"I feel more mature and I feel more like a woman."

"You definitely grew into a woman's body."

She smiled and then pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I know that you liked that part."

Loren held her close and then sighed. Finally things could be easy with them. They didn't have to worry about complications in their relationship. They could just exist.

"As much as I would just like to stay in bed all day, we need to get ready to start the day. You have headmistress training today and I have a class to teach first period. Actually your friends Erin and Shaunee are in my class."

"Oh then they'll be getting to class early to drill you on yesterday." She laughed as she pulled away to get up.

Loren grabbed her around the waist when she sat up on the edge of the bed. Then he tugged her back down, causing her to squeal.

"Not so fast, beautiful." Loren cackled as he pulled her back down and rolled on top of her.

"Loren, Love, we must get ready." Zoey sighed, not wanting to fight against him.

"All right, all right, I'm sorry, Angel, I'm just excited."

"No need to apologize, I'm excited, too. We don't have to hide our affections anymore."

"Me too. Haha, finally we don't have to sneak kisses in the hallway." Zoey chimed as she got up to take care of her mundane morning routines.

She was still naked when she was brushing her teeth. Loren walked into the bathroom dressed but with his shirt opened, yet to be buttoned up.

"You should make a habit of walking around the apartment naked." He teased as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

She spat in the sink and then rinsed out her mouth.

"Sure, weekends, whenever you want, but I need to get ready and your distracting me." She teased.

Reluctantly he walked out of the bathroom and went into the small living room to wait for his girl.

When Zoey did come out into the living room he stood and smiled at her. She wore the adult vampyre shirt and a pair of black slacks and heels.

"Is this ok?" Zoey asked with a daring smile.

She matched Loren a bit, for he was wearing an oxford shirt with the symbol of Nyx but their black pants matched and so did their auras.

"More than ok." He chimed and then took both of her hands in his.

He pecked a kiss on her lips and then led her out of their apartment. To Zoey's surprise they ran into Erik in the hallway. She just looked away, despite last night, she was still mad at him for what he did. She then remembered that she now had a fallen angel to deal with. Ugh.

"Evening, Night." Loren chimed, still in an incredibly good mood.

"Evening, Blake, Zoey." Erik said his name with a bit more emotion than Loren's.

"Good Evening, Erik. How are you?" Zoey asked as Erik began to walk with them.

He didn't look at Loren and Zoey's joint hands.

"I'm fine. And you both?"

"Amazing." They replied in unison, causing them the smile at one another.

Erik felt like he was going to be sick watching those two. He was happy when he went his separate way from them when they got to the teacher dining hall.

After breakfast Zoey walked Loren to class. She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled at him.

"How does it feel to be the one getting dropped off now?" She chimed, giving him her signature know-it-all smile.

"Odd, only because you're the young one." He replied effortlessly.

Then he leaned in and kissed her tenderly, careful to keep it clean because they were in public.

"Hey, Zoey!" Two familiar voices exclaimed.

She pulled away from Loren and hugged two of her best friends.

"It's so awesome that you changed, Zoey!" Shaunee squealed.

"Yes, it is, Twin, but now she won't be in our classes or the dorm." Erin was half excited but half sad.

"I'm sorry, guys. We can still hang out. I'll make it work. I promise."

"We know you will, Z. So is it awkward, you know, seeing Erik a lot because of being an adult vamp?" Shaunee asked.

"Um. I'm still pretty mad at him. I have to do something about that."

"Yeah, you should. Well we have class with your boyfriend." Erin said as she winked at Zoey.

"Behave yourselves, don't overwhelm him." Zoey teased and then the girls hurried into the classroom.

"So I'll catch you later then." Loren said sadly.

"Yeah, well I'm off to training."

Loren pulled her into his arms one last time and kissed her full on the mouth. Zoey was overwhelmed by the power of the kiss. It was like Loren was trying to plead with her but show all the passion that he had for her at the same time.

"I love you." He murmured when the kiss ended.

"I love you, too." She replied and then walked away from him.

He stared after her until she was gone from his sight. With a sigh he then turned and entered his classroom.

Zoey sat in the library with Dragon, and of course it was incredibly boring for he was lecturing her on how to run a school. She wondered how in the world that he knew because he was just a teacher, but then that was better than nothing.

"Am I boring you, Zoey?" Dragon said with a daring smile.

"A little bit, yes." Zoey sighed as she looked down at the notes she had taken.

"I guess we should get a professional for this, shouldn't we?"

"Probably."

"Well then, wait here while I go make a phone call."

Dragon got up and walked out of the room, leaving Zoey alone with nothing to do. Though she wasn't alone for very long. Out of the shadows arose the fallen angel.

"Hello, A-ya." Kalona whispered at the portal of her ear.

She practically jumped out of her chair and whipped around to face him. She stood defensively with her fists clenched.

"Kalona!" She spat, fighting A-ya within her who wanted to leap out and embrace him.

"Well I see that your host, Zoey, has completed the change. How are you, A-ya? Speak to me." Kalona coaxed as he reached out to caress her cheek.

Zoey swatted his hand away and growled. She could feel A-ya fighting within her to be set free. Zoey would rather roll over and die then let A-ya take over, for if she took over Zoey would never have the strength over her again."

"Go away, Kalona!" Zoey yelled, causing Dragon to come racing in.

She reached back a hand to signal him to stop.

"Wait, Dragon, we don't need the death of an innocent."

Dragon stopped right where he was. "But Priestess." He protested.

"Don't come any further." Zoey warned. "It's me he wants and he'll kill for my soul."

"Your soul?"

"A-ya."

"Stop playing games, child." Kalona commanded.

"I am not a child!" She roared as she held out her hands to the elements.

"Earth! I summon you! Help me entrap Kalona so that he cannot rise! Please! I need you!"

Earth came but Kalona went. He flew into the shadows before she could even touch him.

"What in the world, Zoey, I thought you chased him off before."

"No, he is still here. And he wont be leaving voluntarily."

"What do we do with about an immortal?"

"I'm not sure yet. I think I'll go to the temple and talk to Nyx."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"If Loren asks-"

He cut her off.

"I'll tell him."

"Thank you."

The candles of the elements surrounded where she kneeled in the center of the temple. She let her hands rest in her lap and her head was bowed.

"Nyx, please tell me what to do. I need you." She murmured and then waited.

Wind was near her, she could feel it tenderly surrounding her like a warm blanket. Next she felt the heat of fire licking at her face. The smell of sweet grass filled her nostrils. And the calming wave of water washed over her. Then she felt spirit in her heart, in its home.

"My daughter." Nyx's sweet voice sounded.

Zoey looked up and saw Nyx standing within the circle.

"Nyx, oh thank goodness." Zoey sighed in relief.

Nyx offered her a hand, which she took, and then stood.

"What ails you, Zoey? You have just become a full fledged vampyre."

"Yes, but what ails me is Kalona."

"Ah! Yes. You want to know how to get rid of him."

"Yes!"

"Then look in your heart, Zoey. Search deeply for the answer, because that is where it is hidden. That's the trouble with A-ya, she draws him here and he is in love with her. So they cause trouble together. Just like Erik, he is drawn to you as Kalona is A-ya. He is a victim of his own unconscious will."

"So that's the trouble with Erik."

"Yes, my dear. Now the rest is up to you."


	21. The Proposal

**Hey sorry that it took me a while. This chapter is shorter but I promise the next will be longer. I just wanted to keep this chapter good and sweet before the storm brews again. So enjoy! And Leave reviews. Also, if you read my story that is co-written on ArtimisVines, Against All Odds, if you want the next chapter soon we need 5 more reviews then we will post it:p oh and if you read my Twilight story, Love Incorporated, I need some ideas I am stuck so if you read and want something to happen tell me. Enjoy! **

Chapter Twenty-One

_The Proposal_

Three years have passed since Zoey changed. She is now twenty and the members of her circle have all survived the change. Zoey has yet to do anything about A-ya or Erik. Erik still works at the House of Night, but he has kept his distance from Zoey. Kalona on the other hand, made frequent visits to Zoey, and each visit ended in the same way: Zoey screaming at him to go away. He would leave, temporarily, but otherwise he continued to return to woo her. Of course, his attempts failed, for only Loren Blake could woo Zoey.

"Loren, Love, are you ready to go out?" Zoey asked from the mirror in their apartment.

"Just give me a minute, Love." Loren called from the closest.

When he came out he had a mischievous smile on his face that he turned to a cunning smirk.

"You look amazing." Loren breathed when he saw Zoey.

She was dressed in a deep purple dress that fell to her knees. The neck of the dress was a flirty plunging v-neck halter that showcased her cleavage excellently. She wore a pair of strappy high heels and on her ring finger was the promise ring that he had given her three years ago.

"You don't look too shabby yourself." Zoey chimed as she took his hand.

Zoey thought that they were meeting up with friends for a nice dinner, but she was wrong. There was a surprise waiting for her on this lovely fall evening. It was September and so it was just getting chilly. She grabbed her wrap on the way out and then sauntered down to the car.

"Where are we meeting them?" Zoey asked for Loren had kept it a surprise.

"You'll see, baby." He chuckled.

When they got to the restaurant she realized that it was extremely high scale. She always got nervous when Loren took her to expensive and fancy places because she couldn't afford to give him the same sort of gifts. The waiter led them out onto the patio, which was deserted. There was a table with a candle with roses around it. Loren led her to the table and pulled her chair out for her. Once she was seated he pushed her in and then walked over to the seat across from her.

"You're up to something." Zoey said with a smile.

"Maybe I am." Loren chimed as the waiter poured them each a glass of red wine.

"What sort of tom-foolery is my honey up to?" Zoey asked as she playfully curled her fingers around the neck of the wine glass.

She brought the glass to her lips and watched Loren as she drank.

"You'll like my surprise, beautiful." He chimed and then leaned back in his chair.

The waiter came with their meals, Loren had chosen ahead of time what they would have. Everything had to be perfect tonight. Tonight would change their lives forever.

The conversation was light until dessert rolled around. Well the real desert wouldn't be coming until later. A server came with a small black box on his tray. He offered the box to Zoey and she took it. This distracted Zoey so that she didn't see to where Loren had moved. She popped open the box and saw a diamond ring nestled into the velvet. She gasped due to shock. She took the ring out of the box and her heart swelled with love. She then looked across the table and the waiter walked away. Loren wasn't sitting in his seat anymore and so Zoey scanned the area with her eyes for him. When she looked down she saw that he was before her on one knee as he stared up into her eyes.

"Oh, Loren." Zoey swooned as she looked down into his eyes.

She reached down with the ring not in her hand and let her hand fall into the grasp of his two.

"Zoey, my dearest love. Ever since you walked into my life, life has been worth living. Everyday I am filled with joy to wake up to you and to hear you breathing next to me. Everyday with you is magic. My heart has never beaten like it does when I am with you. And it will only beat this way for you. My heart is yours forever and I want you in my life forever. I want to be with you for all eternity. Every morning I want to wake to you and I want to fall asleep every night with you wrapped in my arms. I want you to be the mother of my children. And if we could grow old I would want to grow old with you, too. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I feel blessed that it is me that you have chosen to give your love to. I promised you one day I would get down on one knee and ask you the most important question I have to offer. So here I am, vulnerable and defenseless, on one knee before the woman that means the world to me. I want to make you happy and I want to show you every way that I love you because I am hopelessly devoted to you. I need you, Zoey. Our bond is so strong; I just cant live without you. I'm your Honey and you're my Angel."

Tears fell down Zoey's cheeks in complete awe. A smile lit up her face just like the one that was on his.

"Zoey Redbird, will you make me the happiest man in the universe? Will you marry me?"

She nodded but couldn't find the words to speak until she was screaming it in her head. Then she was screaming it out loud.

"Yes! Yes, I'll marry you, Loren!"

He stood up and took the ring from her hand. Carefully he slid her old ring off and put it in his pocket. Then, holding his breath just a bit, he took her hand and slid the engagement ring on it. Then he took her in his arms and kissed her with such passion that it made Zoey dizzy.

"I promise you, Zoey. I'm going to make you so happy." Loren whispered against her lips.

"You already do." She moaned into the kiss.

"I love you, forever."

"Always, I love you." She replied.

They continued to kiss for a while longer. They were both consumed with such joy.

Kalona stood in the shadows and watched his A-ya in the arms of the distasteful Loren Blake.

"A-ya." He called in the voice that he knew she couldn't resist.

She didn't move, only continued to kiss Loren.

"A-ya." He said as he took a step forward.

Still she did not respond, if anything she lost herself even further in the kiss.

"Oh, Loren, I love you so much." She moaned as Loren's hands roamed her body.

"Angel, I love you more than you can understand. Do you want to take back home?"

"Yes, Love. I want to make sweet love to you all night."

"A-ya." Kalona growled.

She never heard him though. She let Loren lead her out of the restaurant and back to the apartment where they spent several hours making sweet love together.


	22. The Ultimate Ending

Chapter Twenty-Two

_The Ultimate Ending_

They laid in bed together, his arms wrapped around her from behind after hours of love making. Clutched in her hands was a letter that she read over and over.

"I know how to kill Kalona." Zoey whispered in a tone that wasn't quite her.

"How?" Loren asked and then took the letter from Zoey that was from their old friend.

Zoey snuggled closer to her fiancé and sighed. Now they had to plot. It was like being a spy. There's never time for romance. It wasn't until she heard the crash as she realized what was happening. She couldn't move nor could she see. All she could hear was growling and Loren screaming for her. Suddenly the world went black and the night was never ending.

…

Pain was all she felt when she awoke. It was as if she had been hit with a metal pan on her head or maybe it was her knee or her stomach. She tried to move her arm to rub the aches but found that she couldn't move her limbs for they were restrained. She parted her lips and found that her mouth was unbearably dry. She was thirsty for blood.

"Finally, you're awake." A chilling voice chuckled and then Zoey felt a hand on her thigh.

"Don't touch me." Zoey spat as Kalona tried to fondle her.

"Don't be like that, A-ya." Kalona purred as he licked her neck.

"Stop that!" Zoey growled as she snapped her jaw towards him, trying to bite him.

Of course she was helpless and Kalona was free. He crashed his lips to hers and straddled.

"Get off of me! How dare you!" Zoey screamed but that didn't stop Kalona from letting his hands roam without permission across her body.

"You know you want this." Kalona moaned in her ear.

"I do not want this." Zoey corrected. "What I do want is to return to my fiancé and for you to get the Hell out of my life."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Love."

"And ever why not?"

"Because your mine."

Zoey gulped and shut her eyes tight as Kalona undressed her. A tear trickled down her cheek. She felt utterly helpless.

…

Loren burst into Erik's room not caring that he broke the door.

"Erik!" He screamed.

"What the heck?" Erik leapt from his bed quite confused by the raging man in his room.

Loren stormed over to him and grasped Erik by his collar.

"Kalona knocked me out and stole Zoey! She's in trouble! You were close with him, where would he go?"

"Capri." Erik panted. He was afraid for Zoey.

Erik had told Kalona goodbye long ago. Now Zoey was in danger.

"I'll go with you. He'll trust me." Erik gasped when Loren released him.

"Fine. But she's mine. Don't take this as an opportunity to whisk her away on a stallion. She's my fiancé."

Erik nodded in understanding. He had dropped his pursuit of Zoey a long time ago.

"We'll have to kill him." Loren mused out loud.

"You can't. He's immortal."

"There's a loop hole for everything and it's quite literal for this little shit."

Erik couldn't help but laugh. At one time these two had hated each other but the one thing they hated more than each other was Kalona. A common enemy was all they needed to bring the two forces together.

…

Zoey was dizzy. She lay naked and panting on the bed in the room Kalona had locked her in. Everything hurt. She had been invaded. Kalona crossed the line and he was happy. Tears streamed down her face but she was too tired to wipe them away or clear her blurry vision. She found herself clutching the sheets of the bed as if they were her lifeline. She wanted to wake up and this all be a nightmare. She wanted to roll over and find Loren lying faithfully beside her. But she knew if she did roll over she would not only be in further pain physically but she would ache due to the fact that this was all real.

Her head was pounding. Her mind was rushing with unpleasant thoughts. She cried for Nyx in her mind. She pleaded for rescue and if rescue would never come she would plead for death. Hours passed or what felt like hours for there was nothing in the room to indicate the passing of time. She moaned when she heard the knock on the door.

"A-ya." The wicked voice chimed.

Zoey went still. If she fought he would hurt her but she would not comply either. The door opened and Zoey's breath caught in her throat. She felt the bed shift and she wanted to scream. Kalona's devilish hand pulled back the sheets from her body and grazed her skin.

"A-ya, say something."

She refused and continued to focus on the wall.

He leaned over her and saw her eyes were open.

"Look at me."

She glanced at him and then went back to staring at the wall.

"A-ya." He sounded annoyed.

She didn't look at him again.

"Don't be so stubborn."

She didn't respond.

He gripped her hip and dug his nails in. This only caused tears to fall from her eyes.

"Don't cry."

"Then go away." Zoey hissed as his hands dared to go lower.

"Love." He groaned.

"Don't call me that. I am not your love and you are not mine. My love is my fiancé, Loren Blake. You raped me and still have the nerve to touch me. You are wicked, Kalona. No wonder you are damned. Leave me alone!"

Kalona grabbed her and pinned her below him.

"Don't speak to me like that!"

Zoey kicked him where it hurt and sprung free. She charged for the door and made a break for the hallway. Kalona, of course, was not far behind her.

"Don't you run from me!" Kalona growled.

It was then Zoey heard a burst and her name being called.

"Zoey!" It was Loren.

She threw herself into his arms and buried her face in the crook of his neck. Loren was shocked. She wore nothing by a bed sheet. Then he saw the tears in her eyes and he knew everything. He didn't need their imprint to know what had happened. He wrapped one arm around her and stood so that he was in front of her. In his hand he held a rope that he then gave to Erik. Zoey was so disoriented that she didn't seem to care that Erik was here and didn't question why he was helping Loren.

"Sh. Love, everything is going to be ok." Loren whispered as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Erik stepped forward with the noose of the earth and leapt at Kalona. Loren forced Zoey's face into his chest so that she wouldn't see the noose tighten and Kalona fall. Finally the night was silent.

…

One year later…

"Are you ready?" Grandma Redbird.

"Yea. I hope so." Zoey said breathlessly as she stared at the doors closed before her.

Grandma Redbird stepped in beside Zoey and took her arm. She would be walking her granddaughter down the isle. The doors opened and the processions began. Zoey took the first step and then she saw all the faces, but the fear subsided when she looked forward and saw Erik, Loren's best man. Then Zoey's eyes fell on Loren who was staring adoring at her. A breathtaking smile was stretched across his face. That was all the motivation she needed to continue forward.

…

"Do you, Zoey, take Loren to be your husband?" The council member asked.

Zoey's eyes were tearing but she couldn't stop smiling.

"I do." Zoey chimed.

"And do you, Loren, take Zoey to be your wife?"

"I do." Loren answered, crying as well.

"By the power invested me by the state of Oklahoma I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Loren took Zoey in his arms and kissed her full on the mouth. He lifted her off the ground as he kissed her. Finally they were getting their happy ending that they had always been longing for.

...

So maybe the trouble with Erik wasn't that he was a nuisance. Him, like everyone else, even Kalona, and even A-ya, wanted to be loved. Maybe the trouble with him was that he didn't know where his place was, but as he danced with his girlfriend, Venus, he knew that the trouble wasn't love. The trouble was the difference between loving your best friend and loving the love of his life. He looked over when he heard Zoey laughing. She smiled and waved at him and he smiled and gave her a thumbs up. So in end, just like Zoey had always said, everything turned out ok. He had his best friend back. He threw his head back and laughed and then tugged Venus closer to him.

**So that's the end folks. Sorry it took so long and sorry it's short. I know, I know, I could have done more. But really I didn't know what to do. All I knew was that I had to draw it to a close. Thank you everyone who went along for the ride with me on this story. In the future I might do an M story that is Loren and Zoey a few years in the future with children and such. Neferet would be involved. Right now I'm focusing on my novel, my twilight story and my Kalona x Zoey story. Well thanks for the fun. **

**-Lauren **


End file.
